Michael Blankenship

How does a rolling tote hit $50M+ with <10 employees? WE HAD TO ASK ↓ Started as a family prototype Customers told their friends Gifted creators to fuel growth Then paid amplified demand Sold one SKU for four years Collabs → 60% new buyers Launched nationwide at Target Just hit Costco w/ 170K units Now closing in on $100 million Hulken’s Co-Founder @aschinasi joins @mbertulli + @mikebeckhamsm to pull back the curtain. “I didn’t look at it as a fashion brand … I looked at it as a machine.”

How to Make a CMO Hate You ↓ 1️⃣ Hire them to “fix growth” (Make it their problem) 2️⃣ Give them only the title (Treat them like a VP) 3️⃣ Keep all the authority (But not the blame) 4️⃣ Ask for honest feedback (Punish for disagreeing) 5️⃣ Just hire a marketing nerd (Assume they can lead) 6️⃣ Disappear when results dip (Let them take the heat) 7️⃣ Pit finance against marketing (Never agree on spend) 8️⃣ Micromanage every decision (But make them hurry) @MacCoyMerkley (CMO, PLG) puts three CEOs in the hot seat: @mbertulli @mikebeckhamsm + @JasonPanzer “Some businesses aren’t ready for great CMOs.”

The 10 Commandments of DTC Offers That PRINT ↓ 1️⃣ Go beyond price + discounts 2️⃣ Match the offer to the usage 3️⃣ One customer. One problem. 4️⃣ Stack gifts, bundles + perks 5️⃣ Address customer objections 6️⃣ Give a reason to buy … now 7️⃣ Justify the buyer’s investment 8️⃣ Attract customers who stay 9️⃣ Reward the next purchase 🔟 Build for profit, not just sales @jordanmenard + @linafahizul join @mbertulli + @codyplof to tear apart Winks’ offer, and put it back together again. “A great offer makes the customer feel stupid for saying no.”

How do you win your category? 1️⃣ Map competitor positioning 2️⃣ Find underserved customers 3️⃣ Give them a reason to switch (Format, style, value) 4️⃣ Explain it in just one sentence 5️⃣ Test positioning, then invest (Bullets -> cannon balls) 6️⃣ Make packaging tell the story (HALO TOP, RXBAR, 5-hr Energy) 7️⃣ Align pricing + sales channels 8️⃣ Learn more about your buyers (Why did they actually purchase?) 9️⃣ Go deeper before going wider 🔟 BUILD + DEFEND YOUR MOAT @MattOrlic (Qure), @mbertulli (Pela) + @mikebeckhamsm (Simple Modern) reveal how they carved out space in crowded categories and how you can, too. “I think ‘better’ is probably the worst word you can use in marketing.”

How does a former DTC purist, $1.4B unicorn go omnichannel? NEW OPERATORS TITANS Jessica Schinazi, CEO Away “Every time something is trending on TikTok, my Amazon sales are going through the roof.” Has been .com-only since 2015 But 100Ks brand search on AMZ Decided to start expanding 2025 First, launched only bestsellers Kept matching backpacks DTC Won 8% of category in <12mo Expanded to Nordstrom + Dick’s Offered retailers exclusive colors Put website QR codes on luggage Sunglass cases on TikTok Shop Followed by $400 suitcase (gasp) 82% new; 14% buy again on-site AMZ IS 2ND MOST PROFITABLE @mbertulli + @CurtisMatsko get the insider scoop.

Five AI Tools We’re Using To Build Our New Brand From Zero ↓ 1️⃣ HQ: Preserve Brand Context 2️⃣ Runneth: Create + Upload Ads 3️⃣ Codex: Website Development 4️⃣ Claude: Copywriting + Coding 6️⃣ Perplexity: Customer Profiles 7️⃣ Higgsfield: Images + Videos 8️⃣ Omnisend: Build Email Flows 9️⃣ Grok: Review Landing Pages 🔟 Richpanel: Customer Service The goal? 1% OpEx @codyplof + @mbertulli reveal how! “Speed is the biggest competitive advantage.”