The Checkout by Cogsy

A podcast for DTC brands pursuing operational excellence. We explore best-practices and insights from top operations and retail experts: everything from inventory to purchase orders, from cash flow to fundraising, and more. Learn something new about retail operations in each episode.

David Gaylord Of Bushbalm: Building An 8-Figure Skincare Brand

There’s nothing sexy about selling “pubic hair oil.” David Gaylord, founder and CEO of Bushbalm, learned this quickly after launching 7 years ago. But fast-forward to today, and the bikini line skincare brand is pulling in $9m in sales annually.In this episode, David delves into the intricacies of launching, testing, at times failing, and scaling a successful bikini line skincare company.Tune in to steal the multichannel retail playbook that has helped scale Bushbalm into an international, 8-figure brand!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

03-16
35:40

Gavin Ballard Of Disco Labs: Building Modern Brands Through Composable Commerce

Today’s consumers want their needs met quickly, personalized to their tastes, and delivered with the utmost convenience. These high expectations have placed businesses under pressure to adapt and cater quickly to their customer’s ever-evolving demands. With a composable commerce solution, ecommerce brands can meet these expectations by choosing the most appropriate commerce components and combining them to suit their unique needs.Just like how you can mix and match different pieces of a puzzle to make your own unique picture, composable commerce allows businesses to mix and match different parts of an online store. This way, businesses can create a store that fits their specific needs and makes shopping easier for their customers. In this episode of The Checkout, Gavin Ballard, founder and CEO of Disco Labs, explains how you can optimize your operational efficiencies with composable technology. For context, Gavin is the leading expert on composable commerce. He’s built technology stacks for billion-dollar companies (including HarperCollins, Four Seasons, and JB HiFi). And he’s learned that high revenues don't necessarily mean complex operations along the way. Tune in to get the competitive leverage your brand needs in these disruptive times!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

03-08
41:47

Valentin Radu Of Omniconvert: Mastering Customer Value Optimization

With ad spends at an all-time high, chasing short-term profits only gets your retail brand so far. That is, unless you master the art of customer value optimization (CVO). CVO is a strategic approach that aims to enhance every stage of the customer journey, ultimately building strong, long-lasting customer relationships and generating maximum ROI from all marketing activities.Fortunately, Valentin Radu, founder and CEO of Omniconvert, with 16+ years of experience working with eCommerce brands, has developed the CVO methodology that has unlocked growth for 100+ brands, including Samsung and Avon. And today, on The Checkout, Valentin walks you through this methodology for free. Tune in to be among the next generation of ecommerce leaders winning customers for life!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

03-01
35:09

Bernardo Carreira Of 8000Kicks: The Challenges Of Building A Hemp Product

Developing your own line of hemp shoes is no easy feat. Starting a DTC brand is hard enough; overcoming the stigma attached to Cannabis only adds to the challenge. But for Bernardo Carreira, founder and CEO of 8000Kicks, these were challenges he was eager to tackle head-on.In this episode of The Checkout, Bernardo walks our host, Adii Pienaar, through his brand’s journey to becoming the world’s first waterproof hemp shoes. Tune in to hear all about 8000Kicks journey from start to finish. 👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

02-22
36:28

Tygh Walters of SellerSmile: Key Strategies To Build The Ideal Customer Experience

Customer service conversations are a gold mine for key insights, improving customer loyalty and your bottom line. But as businesses grow and scale, maintaining focus on meeting customers’ requirements at speed becomes increasingly overwhelming. In this episode, Tygh and our CEO, Adii Pienaar, discuss how brands can deliver great customer service across different  channels while scaling and innovating at the same time.Tune in and increase sales and customer happiness for your business!👉 Skim this episode's highlights.The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

02-08
42:58

Dylan Whitman Of Inveterate: Tech Trends Shaping The Future Of DTC

Nobody wants to fall behind, especially with new technologies like ChatGPT and Midjourney that can significantly benefit their business. However, the rapidly evolving digital customer journey and the proliferation of ecommerce technology make it challenging for retailers to manage their tech stack effectively.In this episode, Dylan and CEO Adii Pienaar, explore the impact of AI on retailers in 2023 and ways for brands to remain competitive through a focus on customer-centricity and superior products.Tune in and unlock growth opportunities for your brand this 2023!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

02-01
41:58

Andrew Lolk Of SavvyRevenue: Building a Successful Paid Marketing Strategy To Maximize ROI

Paid acquisition remains as one of the most popular ways to grow your business. However, as attribution challenges, automation, and limited transparency increase, it has become more difficult to generate meaningful ROI from these strategies. In this episode, Andrew Lolk, founder of Savvy Revenue, and our CEO, Adii Pienaar, discuss how brands can rise above the challenges and scale their PPC strategy and ecommerce business to greater heights. Tune in and find out how you can scale your ecommerce business!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

01-25
32:39

Introducing The New Subscription Feature: Smarter Subscription Management For Stronger Retention

33% of customers will switch companies after 1 bad experience — like a subscription showing up late. By the 2nd bad experience, that number shoots to 60%.) With the new Cogsy + Smartrr integration, you won’t have to worry about this anymore. With this new feature you can maintain optimal inventory levels that can easily fulfill your one-off and subscription demand (without overstocking to make it happen). In this special episode of The Checkout, our CEO Adii Pienaar shares how you can get the best out of our all-new feature to fullfil subscriptions accurately and consistently. Listen now to learn how to never miss a subscription order again.👉 Skim this episode's highlights.The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

01-18
11:23

Ammar Moiz Of Mayple: How To Drive 20% Revenue Growth By Globalizing Your Brand

Building your business across borders? There’s never been a better time for DTC brands to go global. But international expansion this 2023 is not without its challenges. In this episode, Ammar Moiz of Mayple, and our CEO, Adii Pienaar, share what it takes to build a global brand in today’s multi-channel marketplace. They discuss global distribution trends, why brands are going beyond their local markets, and the opportunities that the global market holds for DTC brands in 2023 Tune in and find out how you can start expanding internationally! 👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

01-11
31:01

Cameron McCarthy Of WeStock: How To Succeed At Omnichannel Retail

Before omnichannel retail existed, Cameron McCarthy, co-founder, and CEO at WeStock, went door-to-door selling chocolates to independent retailers where he learned all about the big challenges in retail and how to overcome them to accelerate growth.In this episode, Cameron and our CEO, Adii Pienaar double down on today’s best practices that will transform the landscape of retail amidst evolving multichannel trends.Tune in and step up your brand’s experience! 👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

12-07
29:39

Molly Duffy Of Smartrr: How To Implement A Successful Subscription Business Model

Customer retention can drive predictable revenue growth, but what are the best ways to convince subscribers to stick around and become lifelong brand champions? In this episode, Molly Duffy, Director of Product at Smartrr and our CEO, Adii Pienaar announce an upcoming strategic partnership between Smartrr and Cogsy. Together they uncover the best DTC subscription practices and tease a much-awaited feature that can help DTC subscription-based brands drive predictable revenue growth. Tune in and step up your brand’s experience! 👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

11-30
37:32

Kait Stephens Of Brij: How To Leverage QR Technology To Drive Business Growth

The integration of online and offline customer experiences has become a challenge, but not an impossible one. In this episode, Kait Stephens, CEO, and co-founder of Brij, shares the best QR code strategies to help you better connect with your customers through online and offline experiences to drive repeat sales across all sales channels. Tune in and step up your brand’s experience! 👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

11-16
28:38

Kelcey Lehrich Of 365 Holdings: Building Diversified DTC Brands As A Sustainable Growth Strategy

If you think running one business is tough, try scaling 6 consumer brands, 3 verticals, and hundreds of products. It’s surprisingly not that crazy, according to 365 Holdings, a holding company that owns and operates multiple retail brands.In this episode of The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and Kelcey Lehrich, co-founder and CEO of 365 Holdings, share the unique operational strategies behind 365’s vertically integrated model. Get ready to learn how to build a sustainable brand - from marketing and managing inventory for multiple channels to a sales formula for diversifying your brand. Tune in and grow a diversified brand built to last!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

11-09
29:19

New Multi-Location Support: Centralize How You Manage Inventory Across Locations

Today's best retail brands don't sell through only one channel anymore. It’s not only DTC or only retail. Brands know that in order to succeed, they have to meet the customer where they’re at— and that is through a multichannel approach.But how can brands fulfill every promise to every customer, regardless of order, channel or location? In this special episode of The Checkout, our CEO Adii Pienaar shares all about our new feature: multi-location support.Be the first to hear about Cogsy’s new feature designed to give you clear visibility over inventory demand across multiple warehouses and channels. And get the confidence you need to continue increasing sales with the right amount of stock, at the right location, and at the right time.  Hit play and ensure your business’ success through multiple channels. 👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

11-02
14:17

Dan McCormick Of Create Wellness: 5 Keys To Launching A Successful DTC Brand

After years of taking creatine supplements and diving into scientific research, Dan McCormick came up with an amazing product idea that could change the supplements industry. Fast forward to today, he is about to launch the world’s first modern creatine gummy brand.In this episode of The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and Dan McCormick, co-founder, and CEO of Create Wellness discuss a proven framework for validating an amazing product idea and strategies to launch a new brand successfully. Hit play and win at your next big launch!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

10-26
33:41

Bryan Porter Of Simple Modern: The Proven Amazon Strategy For Sustainable Omnichannel Growth

Simple Modern found an unusual path to success. They discovered that the road to being Amazon’s #1 drinkware brand was just the beginning of omnichannel success. In this episode of The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and Bryan Porter, Co-founder and Chief Ecommerce Officer at Simple Modern, crack the code to omnichannel growth, exploring 3 simple strategies: prioritizing inventory, optimizing for second purchases, and living intentionally. Hit play and discover the proven strategies to drive demand across multiple retail channels!👉 Skim this episode's highlights.The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

10-19
35:50

Claudiu Cioba Of Videowise: How To 10x Customer Engagement With Shoppable Videos

Would you believe 21% of consumers purchased after watching a shoppable video? On top of that, 35% of marketers using interactive video have seen increased conversions and sales. We believe in adding more human connection to your brand’s shopping experience, so we’re switching things up a notch. For the first time here on The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and Claudiu Cioba, founder and CEO of Videowise, share a fascinating conversation on everything you need to know about videos for operational excellence.Hit play and learn how to increase your sales this year with interactive videos!👉 Skim this episode's highlights. The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

10-12
29:33

Liza Amlani Of Retail Strategy Group: Leveraging Smarter Inventory Planning To Accelerate Your Speed To Market

A topsy-turvy economy, erratic consumer behavior, and evolving software tools have made it imperative for brands to bring products to market quickly.In this episode of The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and Liza Amlani, founder and Principal of Retail Strategy Group, reveal key strategies to achieve speed to market. They also tackle the blend of science and art in planning, merchandising, and operations for retail brands. And how finding the optimal balance between the two is crucial for brand success. Tune in and get the proven strategies to power up your speed to market.👉 Skim this episode’s highlights.The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

10-05
33:01

Amanda Schutzbank Of Willow Growth: Fundraising And Growth For Early Stage DTC Brands

DTC brands have had an interesting last two years. Some of them experienced their best moments, while others weren't so fortunate.In this episode of The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and Amanda Schutzbank, co-founder and general partner at Willow Growth, discuss the rational path to profitability for DTC brands.From enduring the current economic climate and the key growth metrics that attract investors to the playbook Willow implements with their portfolio companies to get the best outcome. Hit play and get the strategies you need to take your DTC to the next level.👉 Skim this episode’s highlights.The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

09-30
33:27

Nate Poulin Of Feat Clothing: How Centralizing Data Accelerates Your Business’ Growth

What if you can find a new answer, a new way of getting things done, a new way of generating more sales with one powerful source of truth?In this episode of The Checkout, our CEO, Adii Pienaar, and COO of Feat Clothing, Nate Poulin, break down how to structure sources of truth, systems of record, first-party data and ERPs to make data serve its purpose: to help DTC brands make decisions. Tune in and learn tangible advice and tactics to turn data into revenue.👉 Skim this episode’s highlights.The Checkout is brought to you by Cogsy, the ops optimization tool empowering DTC brands to unlock 40% more revenue and save 20+ hours a week. Learn more and try it free for 14 days at cogsy.com.PS – Love this podcast? Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 

09-23
45:50

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