DTC Pod: Mikey Taylor on his $100m exit + Content Strategy

DECEMBER 11th 2023

Hey DTC Pod! This week we bring you a chat with skateboarding mogul Mikey Taylor, the founder of Saint Archer Brewing Company which sold to Miller Coors. From skating halfpipes to leading boardrooms, we trace Mikey's journey crafting viral content that fueled a $100 million acquisition.

We unpack:
- Crafting content to build a community
- How obsession fuels brand building
- Propelling into a 9-figure acquisition in 3 years
- And more!

Plus, Biossance finds a buyer amid parent Amyris' bankruptcy, Wish taps logistics strength with a new delivery service and more top DTC news. Reply with your thoughts and reach out anytime!

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This Week’s DTC Pod Guest

#300 - Mikey Taylor - How A Professional Skateboarder Landed A $100M Exit Through Content

In the latest episode of DTC POD, we sit down with skateboarding icon turned business mogul Mikey Taylor, boundary-pushing founder of Saint Archer Brewing Company. Mikey propelled himself into the world of entrepreneurship through his viral content marketing strategies.

Join us as Mikey dissects crafting viral content, why obsession beats talent when building brands, and how he marketed without using his $75k budget on his way to a nine figure acquisition.

NEWS

👉🏻 Beauty brand Biossance finds new owner amid Amyris bankruptcy

Sustainable skincare label Biossance just got acquired by THG Beauty for $20 million, as parent company Amyris auctioned assets after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August. (3 minute read).

Amyris also sold baby brand Pipette, supplements label MenoLabs, and Tia Mowry's haircare line 4U for lower prices as it aims to exit consumer goods and focus on ingredients. 

Read more here 🔗

👉🏻 Wish taps logistics strength with new delivery service

E-commerce firm Wish is opening up its end-to-end shipping capabilities to outside brands through a new delivery service called WishPost Smart Parcel. (3 minute read)

It taps Wish's carrier relationships and expertise handling customs, first mile, line haul, and last mile. The launch follows Wish's push to accelerate its time-to-door speeds to boost customer loyalty. But it still faces financial struggles, with Q3 net loss of $80 million.

Read more here 🔗

👉🏻 Men's underwear innovator SAXX hires branding heavyweight as CEO

SAXX, the men's underwear innovator behind the BallPark PouchTM, just named apparel veteran Tom Berry as new CEO. (3 minute read)

He led brands like The North Face and will drive SAXX's next stage of growth. SAXX is the top branded boxer brief in the US, selling a pair every minute. But it sees bigger market potential as more men discover its "life-changing" products.

Read more here 🔗

Other News + Resources

👉🏻 Friendship bracelet icon opens 1st mall store (4 minute read)
The original beaded bracelet brand Little Words Project, beloved by Taylor Swift and stars, just launched its first-ever mall store. Located at Mall of America, the Instagram-worthy 1,078 square foot space lets customers make bracelets and shop curated collections of the on-trend pieces. Little Words aims to expand its celeb-loved message of kindness. (link)

👉🏻 Women’s activewear brand Bandier seeks rescue plan (4 minute read) Bandier revolutionized stylish activewear but supply headaches now have the brand seeking a buyer for its assets and leases. Known for trendy leggings and tank tops, Bandier grew to 5 stores plus e-commerce as A-listers became devotees. The proposed deal would save Bandier from bankruptcy as economic factors plague fashion. (link)

👉🏻 Luxury brand Lulu's debuts new LA store  (3 minute read) Attainable women's fashion label Lulu's just opened a 6,000-square-foot LA outpost, marking a milestone for the digital-first brand. Each floor of the Melrose Avenue location provides a unique shopping experience with must-have styles, weekly refreshed selections, and Instagrammable backdrops. The new hub builds on Lulu’s LA pop-up success, attracting new lifelong brand fans. (link)

👉🏻 Why a Saks and Neiman merger makes sense (4 minute read)
Saks Fifth Avenue parent recently offered $3 billion for Neiman Marcus but got rejected. Still, a deal could help the luxury players compete as brands embrace direct sales. Cost and data efficiencies could improve profits, while better differentiation across banners may also attract high-end shoppers. (link)

X of The Week

Unlocking the anatomy of viral brand growth

This week's tweet that caught our eye comes from DTC expert William Kast (@williamkast_), who shares his wisdom on creating viral ads that scale.

William's thread is yet another reminder that finding one superior ad with mass appeal is the key to predictable growth. His step-by-step process of researching desires and iteratively optimizing creatives is a blueprint for any DTC brand looking to boost.

Tool of the Week

Struggling to keep up with order volume spikes? Scale your operations with Airhouse.

Meet your logistics leveler. This tech-driven logistics company offers complete visibility on inventory, onboarding in minutes, and custom configurations to help brands optimize their operations. Airhouse aims to provide low-cost, high-capacity fulfillment and proactive network management.

DTC Event

eCommerce Summit - January 16, 2024

Join The Fortia Group and partners for a full day eCommerce summit at 1 Liberty Street in Downtown Manhattan. The event will cover acquisitions, valuations, marketing, operations, and more across the eCommerce sector.

It will feature presentations, panels, and networking offering insights from professors, investors, and industry leaders. Highlights include talks on consumer insights, sourcing targets, due diligence, and repeat purchase predictions.

DTC Job Positions

Join Life360 as Director to Lead DTC Ecommerce Site Merchandising

Life360 seeks an experienced leader to own merchandising for Tile.com's DTC ecommerce experience. You'll optimize site conversion, attach rates, order values, promotions, product mix and manage a global team. Ideal candidates have 7+ years in consumer DTC roles. Fully remote work available.

Join Natural Dog Company as Senior Manager, CRM & Retention

Natural Dog Company seeks a stellar Senior Manager to own CRM and retention marketing. You'll build campaigns to engage subscribers and improve renewal rates. If you have 5+ years in subs models/digital marketing, expertise in ESP platforms, and a strategic mindset, apply now.

Join Mattel as Data Analyst - Direct to Consumer

Mattel seeks a data analytics leader to optimize ecommerce operations and performance marketing. You'll identify KPIs, provide data-driven insights, oversee master data, and develop processes to slot SKUs and forecast sales. Ideal candidates have 4-5 years as a data analyst at major DTC brands. The role offers the chance to have real impact at a leading toy company in a fast-paced environment.

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