Marketing Operators

This week, the team breaks down what recent platform moves signal for operators heading into 2026 — starting with Shopify’s Winter Editions and the growing role of Sidekick inside the Shopify ecosystem.They discuss how tools like Sidekick are democratizing data access, reducing operational friction, and changing how lean growth teams analyze performance, build reports, and take action inside the admin.From there, the conversation shifts to BFCM performance and incrementality, with the hosts unpacking what they learned from scaling spend in steps during peak periods. They discuss where incremental gains showed up, where marginal returns began to flatten, and why short testing windows can still offer directional insight even when results are noisy.The team then reacts to and unpacks a tweet about Amazon bidding more aggressively on brand terms, using it as a jumping-off point to explore demand capture during promo periods, brand search strategy, and how branded demand is distributed across Amazon and DTC during high-intent moments.Throughout the episode, a key theme emerges: how operators should interpret signals from major platforms and translate them into proactive strategy rather than reactive tactics.The episode wraps with a candid conversation on 2026 planning, including examples like Connor Rolain’s pyramid-style goal-setting framework, org design considerations, and how growth leaders can balance short-term execution with long-term thinking.MOperators HotlineIf you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show:https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters00:00:00 – Shopify Winter Editions and the Rise of Sidekick00:06:46 – Data Democratization and AI Inside Shopify00:14:34 – Shopify Collective and Cross-Brand Merchandising00:19:03 – Black Friday Scaling Tests and Marginal ROAS00:27:27 – Brand Search Incrementality and Paid Search Myths00:32:14 – Amazon Brand Bidding and the “Amazon Tax”00:36:39 – What CMOs Must Lock Before Year-End Planning00:41:22 – Hiring Plans, Budgets, and 2026 Readiness00:46:21 – Managing Multiple Timelines Across Growth Teams00:49:38 – Strategic Filters, Objectives, and Goal-Setting FrameworksPowered byMotionhttps://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-readshttps://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AIhttps://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanelhttps://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersellhttps://www.aftersell.com/operatorsRivohttps://www.rivo.io/operatorsHaushttp://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribehttps://www.youtube.com/@Operators9https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPShttps://9operators.com/

This episode is a grab-bag of highly tactical operator insights - starting with a breakdown of why Grüns’ transactional SMS and subscription flows work so well, and what smart lifecycle design looks like when you’re trying to prevent churn, drive upgrades, and increase LTV. From there, we dive into one of the most impressive brand marketing plays of the year: the Marty Supreme campaign, and why its blend of social-first world-building, memeable moments, and built-in distribution is a blueprint for modern creative strategy.We also get into the realities of TikTok Shop: how to measure it when attributed revenue looks tiny but impressions, content volume, and halo impact are massive; how better tooling and reporting can give a clearer read on its true impact; and how leading brands are already staffing the channel with dedicated affiliate managers and creator-community leads.It’s a fast-moving episode focused on subscriptions, creative, and the emerging acquisition channels operators need to understand before they hit scale.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:03:27 - Transactional SMS Marketing and Retention00:20:32 - The Marty Supreme Brand Campaign00:32:10 - The Formula for Viral Stunts00:44:15 - TikTok Shop Strategy and Measurement00:52:39 - Comfort's Affiliate Community ModelPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here:https://9operators.com/

This week, we’re joined by Richie Mashiko - Head of Beacon at Iris Finance for a full breakdown of how BFCM played out across their businesses. Together, the group recaps what actually drove performance this year, from media-mix diversification and top-of-funnel investment to traffic dynamics, conversion-rate behavior, and how different brand sizes approached Cyber Five strategy.From there, Richie walks through his forecasting philosophy - including how he builds bottoms-up financial models, how diminishing returns shape CAC and forecasting assumptions, and how finance and marketing need to stay aligned around realistic growth expectations. The group also dives into contribution margin, AMER, customer mix, and why so many brands forecast incorrectly when marketing isn’t part of the planning process.They then unpack the levers that actually make an ecommerce business profitable: cohort behavior, scaling past category saturation, interpreting flat conversion rates alongside surging traffic, and what contribution dollars really tell you. Richie shares lessons learned from She’s Birdie’s rebuild year and how smaller brands can apply the same financial discipline as companies operating at nine-figure scale.If you're trying to understand your BFCM results, build a forecast that reflects reality, or get finance and marketing speaking the same language, this episode is a must-listen.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:06:40 - BFCM recap00:24:47 - Media Mix Strategy00:41:52 - International Markets00:53:44 - FP&A Background01:07:05 - Building a ForecastPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsHaus.http://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

In this episode of Marketing Operators, Cody and Connor break down how growth teams are rethinking measurement heading into 2026 - especially the rising importance of brand tracking. They discuss why click-based attribution alone no longer works, how incrementality and geo tests fill in the gaps, and why tracking awareness, consideration, and “future demand” is becoming essential.Then they’re joined by Austin Santino, Client Development Manager at Tatari, and Jonathan McKenzie, Co-Founder of Turtlebox. Jonathan shares the brand’s unique origin story - four best friends building a rugged speaker for their sailboat before realizing it could become a business. Austin breaks down how Tatari has helped Turtlebox validate audiences and content through high-signal CTV testing and confidently expand into larger live-sports and linear placements. Jonathan also shares how Turtlebox is aiming to move from fast-cycling, performance-style creative toward more intentional, long-form storytelling as the brand matures.This episode delivers the frameworks, tactics, and operator-level insights you need to sharpen your measurement strategy and scale your TV investment with confidence.Tatari: https://www.tatari.tv/?utm_campaign=29640555-Operators%20Podcast%20Nov%20%2725&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=operatorsIf you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:06:32 - Implementing Brand Tracking00:20:45 - The Value of Earned Media Value (EMV)00:35:26 - Turtlebox Audio: Origin Story and Product Differentiation00:48:11 - TV Content Strategy00:58:25 - 2026 Planning and The "Small Bets" Philosophy for FoundersPowered by:Motion.https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here:https://9operators.com/

This week, the team breaks down how operators should be thinking about Q4 performance, offer strategy, and what it really takes to evolve beyond the traditional “discount + ads” playbook. We get into why some brands are rolling out first-ever sitewide promotions, how seasonal bundles create new revenue moments, and how text-to-buy flows, post-purchase upsells, and Shopify Collective can create seamless cross-brand merchandising opportunities heading into 2026.From there, we dive into one of the smoothest customer experiences we’ve seen lately: Fellow’s text-to-buy setup. We unpack why it works so well for hardware brands with natural consumable add-ons, which categories this model is best suited for, and how operators can use complementary products to create repeat pathways without relying on subscriptions.We then dive into media expansion, with the hosts discussing why there’s more opportunity than ever outside the traditional hero channels - from curated newsletter audiences to out-of-home paired with sampling and experiential moments, and the rise of street-interview content as a high-performing acquisition engine. There is so much overlooked media in the ecosystem right now, and operators who feel capped on their core platforms may be missing high-leverage arbitrage.We wrap with a discussion on identifying under-the-radar media buys, evaluating whether niche placements are worth the squeeze, and how to build a more resilient acquisition and retention engine moving into next year. If you’re expanding your media mix, pushing for higher LTV, or rethinking your Q4 strategy, this episode is packed with operator-level insights.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:17:51 - Text-to-Buy and Complementary Brand Partnerships00:35:40 - Testing Free Plus Shipping and Sample Funnels00:46:02 - Out-of-Home and Street Interviews00:58:11 - Balancing Arbitrage vs. Measurement01:08:28 - Aligning Media Investment with Attention TrendsPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here:https://9operators.com/