This episode, featuring Nate Lagos of Original Grain, delves into 10 key reasons behind their significant growth this year. It offers actionable strategies for ecommerce brands to scale, covering aspects from financial discipline to effective marketing and operational efficiency. The discussion provides a candid look at both successes and challenges in the DTC space.
Key takeaways
Implement robust cohort forecasting and financial modeling to understand true profitability and guide strategic decisions, moving beyond simple P&L.
Focus on developing 3-5 core marketing channels, mastering them with dedicated creative and budget, rather than spreading resources too thin.
Prioritize customer retention through exceptional product quality, post-purchase experience, and dedicated customer service, recognizing its compounding impact on LTV.
Optimize supply chain and inventory management for efficiency and cost savings by building strong manufacturer relationships and leveraging technology for forecasting.
Foster a strong company culture and clear communication to align teams and empower employees, leading to better execution and problem-solving.
I've never done an episode like this ever before.
Nate Lagos's tweet outlining his exact 10 keys to growing Original Grain was so good that I immediately DMed him and said, "Let's talk more about all of these."
So that's what we did: from 1-10, we went piece by piece through each of the points on the list and kicked them around.
This episode is good because Nate is right about so much. Calls to stop touching your ad account, spend money no matter what, and, of course, make sure you've got that dog in you–they're various levels of wise and counterintuitive.
Nate is currently the Head of Marketing at Original Grain and formerly ran growth at Dugout Mugs.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS [00:00:27] Nate's tweet about success. [00:06:32] Change in mentality in 2022. [00:13:14] Having a steady hand. [00:15:11] Mental health and morale. [00:18:03] Spending more money on ads. [00:21:00] Cutting the marketing department's fixed costs. [00:24:58] We raised our prices. [00:27:09] Premium product and customer value. [00:31:02] Banger product strategy over marketing. [00:33:09] Launching products for new audiences. [00:36:21] Resisting shiny object syndrome. [00:39:22] Focus on generating contribution margin. [00:43:09] Recognizing significant tailwinds. [00:45:31] Real growth happens in the trenches. EPISODE SPONSOR
Virtual assistants can be helpful. Virtual professionals can transform your business. Get connected to incredible ecommerce talent from the Philippines
Implement robust cohort forecasting and financial modeling to understand true profitability and guide strategic decisions, moving beyond simple P&L.
What does this episode say about paid acquisition?
Focus on developing 3-5 core marketing channels, mastering them with dedicated creative and budget, rather than spreading resources too thin.
What does this episode say about customer retention?
Prioritize customer retention through exceptional product quality, post-purchase experience, and dedicated customer service, recognizing its compounding impact on LTV.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Optimize supply chain and inventory management for efficiency and cost savings by building strong manufacturer relationships and leveraging technology for forecasting.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Foster a strong company culture and clear communication to align teams and empower employees, leading to better execution and problem-solving.
