Nate Gunn, co-founder of Wild Bird, reveals how a radical product pivot rescued his DTC brand from stagnation, propelling it from low seven figures to nationwide Target distribution. This episode distills critical lessons on identifying product-market fit, leveraging financial clarity through fractional experts, and strategically expanding into omnichannel retail to unlock exponential growth for ecommerce operators.
Key takeaways
Prioritize radical honesty in product mix assessment; be prepared to pivot entirely if your core offering isn't resonating or scaling.
Invest early in robust financial structures and consider fractional CFO/COO partners to gain clarity and strategic guidance, even for lean operations.
Actively pursue omnichannel expansion into every channel where your target customers shop, beyond just your DTC website, as exemplified by Wild Bird's entry into 1,800 Target stores.
Develop a "solve patterns, not one-off problems" mindset; identify and address systemic issues in product, marketing, or operations rather than temporary fixes.
Utilize pre-order strategies to manage inventory, forecast demand, and secure sales, as Wild Bird did for two years post-pivot.
Actively cultivate a founder network for peer support and shared learning, mitigating the isolation of entrepreneurship.
Nate Gunn spent nearly a decade building Wild Bird before it finally broke through. In this episode, Cody sits down with the co-founder and CEO to talk about what actually turned the business around — a full product pivot during COVID, two years of selling out on pre-orders, and the financial clarity that came from bringing in the right partners at the right time.Nate shares the three things that took Wild Bird from low seven figures to landing all 1,800 Target doors: getting honest about the product mix, investing in financial structure, and expanding into every channel where their customers actually shop.If you run a DTC brand and you have ever wondered whether the plateau you are in is a product problem, a marketing problem, or just a timing problem, this episode is worth your full attention.Subscribe for more conversations on DTC strategy, eCommerce marketing, paid media, and LTV optimization.👉 Grow your bottom line: https://www.kynship.co/ Tune in now. #TheBottomLine #DTCpodcast #ecommercegrowth #WildBird #targetretailKey Takeaways:00:00 Meet Nate Gunn, Co-Founder of Wild Bird01:28 Wild Bird's Two Existential Crisis Moments03:10 Considering Selling the Business05:08 Running Lean With Real Ownership06:40 Landing All 1,800 Target Doors13:28 The Full Pivot: Killing the Old Product Line18:02 Bringing in Fractional Partners for Financial Clarity21:50 The Loneliness of Running a Brand25:30 Why Founder Networks Matter33:00 How Wild Bird Chose the Right Agency40:50 The 3 Things That Turned Wild Bird Around44:30 Solving Patterns, Not One-Off ProblemsAdditional Resources:Featured Guest Nate Gunn, Co-Founder & CEO. WildBird <a href="https://wildbird.co" rel="noopener noreferrer" ta
Prioritize radical honesty in product mix assessment; be prepared to pivot entirely if your core offering isn't resonating or scaling.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Invest early in robust financial structures and consider fractional CFO/COO partners to gain clarity and strategic guidance, even for lean operations.
What does this episode say about finance & fundraising?
Actively pursue omnichannel expansion into every channel where your target customers shop, beyond just your DTC website, as exemplified by Wild Bird's entry into 1,800 Target stores.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Develop a "solve patterns, not one-off problems" mindset; identify and address systemic issues in product, marketing, or operations rather than temporary fixes.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Utilize pre-order strategies to manage inventory, forecast demand, and secure sales, as Wild Bird did for two years post-pivot.
