DTC POD: How GORGIE Built a Brand with Community Power

This week, we’re joined by Michelle Cordeiro Grant, an accomplished entrepreneur with a passion for creating innovative, community-based businesses.

In 2016, Michelle founded the intimates brand LIVELY and sold it three years later for $105 million. Following this successful exit, she pivoted to her next venture: GORGIE, a wellness energy drink.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Michelle shares valuable insights on building a successful DTC brand from the ground up. She discusses the importance of building a community around the brand, leveraging social media, and using data and customer feedback to drive product innovation.

Michelle also touches on the strategic decisions behind GORGIE's retail expansion, partnering with influential creators, and creating a magazine to inspire and connect with customers.

Throughout the conversation, Michelle emphasizes authenticity, quality, and customer-centricity as crucial elements in establishing a strong brand identity.

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Fav Quotes from Episode #336

“We really want to show that this is socially verified, that the idea started on social media. Let's put these people on the can and really show, like, verified blue check mark. There's humans, not me, that are helping us decide. Is it 150 milligrams? Turns out they didn't want 200 milligrams of caffeine. Is it L-theanine or BCAA? They don't care about BCAA. They want L-theanine. Anyway, the point is, is, like, I'm not making the decisions necessarily. I'm using statistical data and interactions with humans to get to the answer.“

— Michelle Cordeiro Grant, 00:06:01 to 00:06:37

“It wasn't about us selling the liquid to them. It was about the atmosphere the brand could create. And what was the takeaway? The takeaway was them posting and being so proud that they're part of something that actually didn't exist before. To like them coming up with names on a postcard for future flavors. Following and joining our Geneva community online. This just kept repeating and building and building. And so by the time we actually launched in January, we had thousands of people giving us advice and guidance.”

— Michelle Cordeiro Grant, 00:09:05 to 00:09:36

“I always tell people, you have your consumer funnel and you have your community funnel, they're not the same, right? And like, in your consumer funnel, just like how you have, like the people that'll buy, but then you have the people that are, like, always buying to the people that are like, marketing for you. Same thing happens in your community. There's people that join and then there's the people that are running it. Right? And so, like, you have to really pay attention to quality over quantity and the types of conversations that are happening."

— Michelle Cordeiro Grant, 00:12:23 to 00:12:51

3 Best DTC Practices from Michelle Cordeiro Grant

1. Prioritize community building from day one

GORGIE's success can be attributed to the strong community they nurtured before even having a product to sell. By hosting events, fostering conversations around shared interests, and involving the community in product development, they built a loyal following eager to support the brand from day one.

To replicate this, focus on creating spaces, whether online or offline, where your target audience can connect over topics adjacent to your product. Engage them in the creation process, gathering feedback and validating your product ideas. This way, you'll have a built-in customer base when you launch, and a community that feels invested in your brand's success.

2. Seek out authentic partnerships with aligned creators

Rather than forcing influencer partnerships, GORGIE lets them develop organically. They collaborate with creators who genuinely love and use the product, even if it means being patient for the right fit.

When an influencer reaches out with true enthusiasm for your brand, you know their content will be authentic and well-received by their audience. So be discerning. Prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to collaborators. One genuinely engaged influencer can be more impactful than a dozen paid placements that feel inauthentic.

3. Extend your brand identity beyond the product

Michelle understood that GORGIE couldn't just be another beverage on the shelf. To truly stand out, the brand needed to create a full sensory experience that engaged customers on multiple levels.

With her fashion background, Michelle infused GORGIE's vibrant, edgy aesthetic into every aspect of the brand—from the eye-catching packaging to the immersive pop-up events. She even launched a magazine that embodies the GORGIE lifestyle.

These elements work together to tell a cohesive brand story that extends far beyond the product itself. Customers don't just buy a drink; they buy into a whole vibe and ethos.

Think about how you can leverage different touchpoints—whether it's creative packaging, engaging content, or experiential activations—to envelop your customers in your brand's unique world.

When you create a multidimensional brand experience, you foster deeper emotional connections and loyalty that transcend any single product.