The DTC Insider

In this episode of The DTC Insider podcast, Brian Roisentul sat down with Bear Handlon, co-founder and CEO of Born Primitive, a brand that started a decade ago with compression shorts for weightlifters and has since evolved into a 9-figure, bootstrapped powerhouse. From serving in the military to serving millions of customers, Bear has built a brand rooted in authenticity, performance, and purpose. With milestones like hitting $100M in sales, donating over $2M to charity, and paying $11M in veterans' medical bills this Veterans Day, Bear’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and impact. Let’s dive into the strategies and lessons that have powered his incredible growth and see what’s next for 2025. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The foundation of Born Primitive's success through a clear value proposition. How authenticity and strong brand values attract and retain loyal customers. The role of community engagement in driving brand growth. The influence of military experience on leadership and operational strategies. The importance of aligning company and employee values to foster a positive culture. The impact of Bear Handlon’s visibility as a brand face on authenticity. The continued relevance of email and SMS marketing for community building. Why thriving in e-commerce requires strategies beyond digital advertising. Building and leveraging a customer list for maximizing sales during key events like Black Friday. The importance of early preparation for major sales events to ensure success. Sponsor for this episode: This episode is brought to you by BSR Digital. BSR Digital helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing. To learn more about BSR Digital, visit their website or book a call here.

In this episode of The DTC Insider podcast, we’re flipping the script. Instead of chatting with a brand founder, we’re hearing from the other side: a creator who’s been at the heart of the social media revolution. Meet Abigail Fridman, a 24-year-old entrepreneur who specializes in content creation, creative strategy, and social media management. Abigail started her journey in 2019 on TikTok, documenting her personal transformation while studying to become a doctor. Fast forward a few years, and she’s gone from med school dreams to helping brands craft authentic content and connect with audiences. Along the way, she’s mastered everything from negotiating partnerships to navigating the evolving world of TikTok Shop. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Abigail’s journey as a content creator on TikTok since 2019 The importance of personal branding for creators and brands How smaller creators are gaining trust over larger influencers through authenticity The need for brands to have a clear identity and message to appeal to creators Managing high demand: Abigail receives 60 to 90 emails daily from brands seeking collaborations The importance of creators prioritizing products they genuinely believe in over just high pay Creating mutually beneficial collaborations between creators and brands Building trust with audiences through authenticity in content creation TikTok Shop as a game changer for creators and brands The importance of understanding your audience for effective content creation Sponsor for this episode: This episode is brought to you by BSR Digital. BSR Digital helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing. To learn more about BSR Digital, visit their website or book a call here.

In this episode of The DTC Insider podcast, Lisa Mullan, the founder of Uwila Warrior. Lisa comes from a finance and tech background, with experience working at HubSpot on projects that gave her insights into how brands operate and scale. In partnership with a friend in fashion, Lisa launched Uwila Warrior to create comfortable, functional underwear. Now, with a retail space in Boston and partnerships with other brands, her company has grown steadily and sustainably. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The shift in the e-commerce landscape towards profitability and sustainable growth The benefits of opting out of outside capital for maintaining control over business direction How retail partnerships can enhance brand visibility and drive sales The challenges and opportunities for growth during COVID-19 The growing importance of sustainability in product development for consumers Combining online and offline tactics for effective customer acquisition strategies The unique challenges of influencer marketing for intimate apparel brands Aligning retention strategies with the customer buying cycle Leveraging AI to improve customer engagement and marketing effectiveness Adapting to changing market dynamics through effective forecasting strategies Sponsor for this episode: This episode is brought to you by BSR Digital. BSR Digital helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing. To learn more about BSR Digital, visit their website or book a call here.

In this episode of The DTC Insider podcast, Brian Roisentul welcomes Ryan Beltran, co-founder of Original Grain, here on the show. Ryan and his brother Andrew launched the brand back in 2013 with a highly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $500,000. Since then, they’ve grown Original Grain into a unique watch brand known for its quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship, selling over half a million watches. In addition to reaching their 10-year milestone, they’ve planted 700,000 trees and partnered with iconic brands like Jack Daniels and the New York Yankees. We’ll dig into their approach to acquisition, retention, partnerships, and many more interesting topics. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: How Original Grain started with a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013 The brand's focus on creating unique watches from reclaimed materials The evolution of e-commerce over the last decade Challenges Original Grain faced during COVID-19 The importance of understanding contribution margin for business success How daily tracking of metrics provides actionable insights Identifying customer trends to shape marketing strategies The risks of over-investing in unproven products Why Q4 strategies should focus on proven products instead of experimentation The importance of diversifying marketing channels for future growth Opportunities and challenges of TikTok Shop for high AOV products Leveraging partnerships to drive revenue streams Building a brand through community engagement, not just ads The role of authenticity and connection in content creation The value of strategic planning for long-term growth Why founders should actively participate in content creation How licensing deals can expand brand visibility and customer reach The impact of real-life activations on brand loyalty Balancing metrics with building long-term customer relationships Understanding customer needs beyond sales to drive e-commerce success Sponsor for this episode: This episode is brought to you by BSR Digital. BSR Digital helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing. To learn more about BSR Digital, visit their website or book a call here.