A quick note:

Hey DTC Pod! We're back with another weekly roundup to keep you on top of the latest in the world of DTC.

This week, we recap our chat with Message founder Meghan Higney, an innovator breathing new life into the slide sandal game. We also dive into the top news - from Hoka's record quarter to Apple's upcoming privacy changes.

Plus, don't miss our featured tweet on the power of speed over perfection and our spotlight on Klaviyo’s OWN IT Virtual Summit coming up August 15-17.

As always, we'd love your feedback on the newsletter - hit us up anytime!

- Blaine, Ramon, & the DTC POD squad ✌️

This Week's DTC Pod Guest

#286 - Meghan Higney - From Banking to Branding: Revolutionizing the Slip-On Footwear Industry With Message

Meghan Higney is the founder of Message, a innovative slide sandal brand. With a background in private equity investing, Meghan then served as President & COO of True Botanicals. She is advisor to several brands is extremely versed at all levels of operation within consumer brands.

📰 DTC & eCommerce News

Hoka Hits Record Sales - Hoka continues to lead Deckers’ growth, with the athletic footwear brand hitting a quarterly sales record of $420.5M in Q1 2023. This represents 27.4% growth for Hoka. Deckers’ total Q1 net revenue was $675.8M, up 10% YoY. Read the full rundown here.

It's time for the ultimate cushioning face-off! We're putting these 2 legendary running shoe brands head-to-head - Hoka vs. On Cloud. Cast your vote! May the best shoe win.

📰 Back With The News

Sanzo Leans Into Nontraditional Partners - Sparkling water brand Sanzo is taking an unconventional approach to marketing with partnerships beyond the beverage aisle. Ahead of major retail expansions, Sanzo is teaming up with pickleball gear brand Nettie, sunglasses brand Covry, and Bachan's barbecue sauce on limited-edition collaborations and in-store promotions. We'll see how the creative strategy pays off with sales. Read the breakdown here.

Apple Privacy Shift - Apple's upcoming iOS 17 update will remove URL tracking parameters from links in Safari Private Browsing, Mail, and Messages. This change aims to protect user privacy but could impact advertiser tracking and measurement. Marketers reliant on URL parameters for attribution may need to find alternatives like first-party data collection. Brands will need to stay agile and find new ways to understand their customers. For more, check out this here.

Wholesale Still Crucial for Fashion Brands - Wholesale remains a top sales driver and area of investment for fashion brands, according to a new survey by Joor. The study found 74% of brands get over half their sales from wholesale, with 51% ranking it as their #1 channel over e-comm and DTC. Read the Just Style piece here.

Poppi Takes On Soda Giants - The gut-friendly prebiotic soda brand Poppi is poised to disrupt the soda giants like Coke and Pepsi. Since appearing on "Shark Tank" in 2018 and rebranding in 2020, Poppi has grown into a digital-first brand with a passionate social following. The brand is doubling down on mass reach efforts like TV ads to drive awareness and sales. Read the full AdAge breakdown here.

Tweet of The Week

Ben Zises (@bzises) shares an insightful perspective - in a fast-moving world, speed trumps perfection. He argues it's better to go 3x faster, even if it means making 2x more mistakes. The net result is still positive. A good reminder to prioritize quick progress over meticulous precision.

DTC Event

• OWN IT Virtual Summit Aug. 15-17! - Klaviyo is hosting OWN IT, a 3-day virtual summit for eCommerce marketers with a stacked speaker lineup featuring brand founders and world class marketers. They'll share marketing strategies to drive sales, acquire customers, and boost retention. Additional sessions will cover profitability, community building, disruptive growth in traditional industries, and more. There's so much valuable knowledge to be gained. Register now before spots fill up!

Interested in being a guest? Sharing a cool event? Suggestions on how to improve the pod? Email us at [email protected]