The Modern Retail Podcast
413 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 35 ratingsThe Modern Retail Podcast is a podcast about the retail space, from legacy companies to the buzzy world of DTC startups. Every Thursday, Cale Weissman, editor of Modern Retail, interviews executives about their growth and marketing strategies. And every Saturday Gabi Barkho, senior reporter, sits down with the Modern Retail staff to chat about the latest headlines in the retail world.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Solo Brands CEO John Merris on what it takes to be a successful DTC brand
July 20, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutesFor Solo Brands, being DTC represents more of a state of mind than it does an exclusive sales channel. "A lot of people have in the last five years equated DTC to e-commerce," said John Merris, CEO of the portfolio company that owns Solo Stove, Oru Kayak and Chubbies, among other brands. "We believe that direct-to-consumer is focused on the relationship… All direct-to-consumer is actually talking about is a brand's ability to connect with its consumers." That thesis has translated to Solo own...
Rundown: A Prime Day postmortem, the impact of a UPS strike & increased scrutiny of energy drinks
July 15, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutesOn this week’s Modern Retail Rundown, we give a recap of the influencer-led Amazon's Prime Day, which for the first time included deals on travel. Next is a look at the fallout a UPS strike can have, and the impact it can have on online retailers and brands' fulfillment. Lastly, we talk energy drinks backlash in light of Logan Paul's Prime facing an FDA investigation into its caffeine content.
Shein's head of strategy Peter Pernot-Day on how the e-commerce app is trying to get ahead of its own marketing narrative
July 13, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutesShein has been around for nearly a decade, but we're just beginning to learn more about the brand now. Over the last two years, the e-commerce platform has taken the world by storm. In 2021, it caught most people by surprise when it became the most downloaded U.S. iPhone shopping app. Today, it is the number three top app on App Store. But with this rise to fame has come a lot of questions. For one, Shein is largely known as a seller of fast-fashion apparel. Its products are cheap, and it sel...
Modern Retail Rundown: Brands flock to Threads, Christmas Tree Shops shutters & Claire's postpones IPO
July 08, 2023 04:00 - 25 minutesThis week's Modern Retail Rundown starts out with a discussion about brands rushing to Threads. Then, we dive into the state of homeware retail in light of The Christmas Tree Shops going out of business. Finally, the show discusses why Claire's is putting off its IPO after revamping its business for Gen Z. News links: https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/06/threads-wont-be-fun-but-it-will-give-brands-a-home-away-from-twitter/ https://www.npr.org/2023/07/03/1185809716/christmas-tree-shops-liquidate-...
'We haven't changed the way that we do it': MìLà co-founder Jennifer Liao on transforming from a restaurant to a frozen food brand
July 06, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutesFor frozen food startups, direct-to-consumer is a difficult channel to make work. But for MìLà, which makes food products like Chinese soup dumplings and noodles, being able to ship directly to customers is a core part of its business strategy. "DTC is very important to us because we do have a direct connection to our customers," said Jennifer Liao, co-founder and president of MìLà. She joined this week's Modern Retail Podcast to talk about the brand's growth. MìLà began as a Chinese food res...
'It used to be, look at these two Shark Tank kids coming to monetize our industry': Mad Rabbit CEO Oliver Zak on gaining acceptance from the tattoo community
June 29, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutesTattoo care brand Mad Rabbit has a mission to make a growing niche of body care mainstream. The company, which first launched in 2019, makes products for people with tattoos. That includes body washes, balms and other aftercare needed to make sure the ink doesn't fade. And while it's recorded large sales growth year-over-year, seeing over 100% sales growth over the last two years (with the help of an appearance and subsequent deal on the show "Shark Tank"), it believes mass retail is the next...
Modern Retail Rundown: Daily Harvest's planned comeback, TikTok testing its own in-app shop & the changing returns landscape
June 24, 2023 04:00 - 21 minutesThis week’s Modern Retail Rundown starts off with a check-in on Daily Harvest and its planned retail launch, following a tumultuous year of lawsuits. Next, a look at TikTok testing a digital store selling its own products. Lastly, we discuss a Wall Street Journal story about the changing return policies among online retailers — and how it’s impacting shoppers’ behaviors. Stories cited: https://www.fastcompany.com/90908456/daily-harvest-food-startup-toxic-tara-flour-recall https://www.business...
'DTC is a lot easier when money is free': Somos Foods CEO Miguel Leal on pivoting to wholesale
June 22, 2023 04:00 - 33 minutes"International foods are having a moment," said Miguel Leal, co-founder and CEO of Somos Foods. Indeed, that's the thesis of his startup, which makes Mexican food products currently sold in over 6,000 stores including Whole Foods and H-E-B. The company has been around for two years and sells products like chips, salsas as well as rice and bean packs. It first started as an online brand but quickly realized that the way to grow a brand like his is by zeroing in on grocery distribution. "Life w...
Modern Retail Rundown: Amazon ignores Temu, Grubhub layoffs & Instant Pot goes bankrupt
June 17, 2023 04:00 - 28 minutesOn this week's Modern Retail Rundown, we discuss why Amazon is not including shopping app Temu in its competitive pricing algorithm. Then, a look into the state of food delivery apps in the wake of reported layoffs at Grubhub. Finally, we look into the news that Instant Brands -- the maker of the Instant Pot -- is filing for bankruptcy. News cited: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/price-war-amazon-excludes-rival-temu-competitive-price-checks-2023-06-13/ https://www.wsj.com/art...
'This will be our biggest year of growth': Legends CEO Scott Hochstadt on building an athleticwear brand with the help of sports pros
June 15, 2023 04:00 - 33 minutesAthleticwear brand Legends wants to be the Lululemon of professional sports. The company -- which sells products like basketball shorts, swim trunks and athletic tees -- launched in 2019 with a slew of professional athlete investors. Since then, the company has brought on more influencers to its program and -- thanks to these partners -- has seen sales consistently grow, even though it hasn't focused much on organic marketing. In 2020, the company made about $10 million, and that grew the fol...
Modern Retail Rundown: Nike rekindles wholesale relationships, GameStop’s executive shakeup & Great Jones gets acquired
June 10, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutesIn this week’s episode of the Modern Retail Rundown, our staff dissects all various changes and announcements coming out of the retail industry. First we start with the news that Nike is walking back the decision to sever ties with previous wholesale partners like DSW and Macy’s. Next, an announcement of GameStop CEO’s firing — and replacement with board member Ryan Cohen as executive chairman — has rattled up the company’s passionate shareholders. Lastly is a look at fresh M&A news in the DT...
'We're kind of at the beginning of building a community': Hanna Andersson CEO Aimée Lapic on how the 40-year-old kids' apparel brand is evolving
June 08, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutesKids' apparel brand Hanna Andersson is four decades old but in the midst of a huge business transformation. In 2019, it decided to close all of its stores and focus solely on its online business. The company says this strategic shift has helped stay focus and grow in new ways. "We're 100% direct to consumer and are frankly much more profitable because of that -- and, honestly, much more attuned to our customers in anticipating their needs," said Aimée Lapic, CEO of Hanna Andersson. She joined...
Modern Retail Rundown: The future of fast fashion, dollar stores struggling & big CPGs not letting up on price increases
June 03, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutesThis week's Modern Retail Rundown starts out with an analysis on why digital fast fashion players like Shein and Temu lose money on orders despite their popularity. Next, recent earnings reports show that dollar store chains like Dollar General and Dollar Tree are struggling as customers cut back on spending. Finally, we take a look at big companies like PepsiCo. continuously raising prices to increase profits, even as product demand declines. Stories cited: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fast...
Collars & Co founder Justin Baer on riding the Shark Tank wave
June 01, 2023 04:00 - 30 minutesCollars & Co is trying to create a new category that's one part casual and one part dressy. The two-year-old apparel startup makes a collared polo shirt, along with other items, and targets predominately well-to-do males. It first got its start on TikTok, but an appearance and subsequent deal on Shark Tank led to a huge increase in sales. "We saw about a 400% increase in the number of visitors," the night after the episode aired, said Justin Baer, founder and CEO of Collars & Co. "I think I a...
Modern Retail Rundown: Apparel sales rebound, Meta's EU lawsuit & TikTok Shop's traction in Southeast Asia
May 27, 2023 04:00 - 30 minutesThis week's Modern Retail Rundown begins with a discussion about why retailers like URBN and Kohl's are thriving while other apparel players are struggling at the moment. Next is an overview of Meta’s record $1.3 billion privacy lawsuit filed by European Union regulators, as a means to crack down on Facebook's user data sharing. Lastly, we talk about how TikTok Shop is generating buzz among live commerce audiences in Southeast Asia.
'There is more whitespace': Parachute founder Ariel Kaye on filling the Bed Bath & Beyond void
May 25, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutesParachute doesn't look or feel anything like a Bed Bath & Beyond, but founder and CEO Ariel Kaye thinks her brand represents the next wave of home goods retailers. The stores are certainly smaller and more curated -- and they are focused much more on the experiential than pure conversion. But Parachute is focused on utilizing its growing store base as a way to bring in more customers and become a household name. Kaye joined Modern Retail to speak about her company's ambitions and strategies. ...
Modern Retail Rundown: Big-box earnings blitz, Instacart's ad growth & Shein's shrinking valuation
May 20, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutesEarnings season has arrived — and the Modern Retail Rundown dove into all the details. On this week's show, in which the Modern Retail staff discuss the week's biggest industry headlines, we looked at the results of Home Depot, Target and Walmart -- and what they mean for the year ahead. Then, we talk about some new numbers revealed about Instacart's advertising business. Lastly, we discuss Shein's most recent funding.
'There are so many celebrities and influencers that have millions of followers that can't sell a damn thing': Spritz Society's Ben Soffer on building an alcohol brand beyond its influencer roots
May 18, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutesSpritz Society rose to fame because of its influencer founder, but the sparkling wine brand is now trying to transcend that. Ben Soffer, perhaps best known on Instagram as the Boy With No Job, ironically does have a job -- he's an alcohol entrepreneur selling canned drinks both online and in over 400 stores in eight states. Soffer is now focused on expanding Spritz Society's wholesale presence and making his company a brand beyond its social media roots. "If you have a community, then you can...
Modern Retail Rundown: Warby Parker & Allbirds earnings, Mattress Firm acquired & suburban malls’ revitalization
May 13, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutesThis week's Modern Retail Rundown features an analysis on Warby Parker and Allbirds’ latest quarterly earnings, which show mixed revenue results and losses. Next we give an overview of Tempur Sealy’s acquisition of Mattress Firm, and what it could mean for the overall mattress segment. Finally, we discuss a new story showcasing the way suburban shopping centers are thriving, thanks to hybrid work schedules.
'People wanted to talk about waitlists': How a supply chain bottleneck helped DTC AC brand Windmill go viral
May 11, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutesFor most brands, going to market only being able to sell a few hundred units because of supply chain headaches sounds like a nightmare. But for Windmill, which sells both air conditioners and HVAC filters, this turned into marketing gold. The company first launched in the summer of 2020. "[We] had a really awesome launch plan for 2020 that we had to scrap," said co-founder Mike Mayer. "And so we couldn't get units from the factory to the U.S., just given all the complications in the supply ch...
Modern Retail Rundown: Shopify goes back to basics, 15-minute delivery consolidation & Peloton's revamped digital strategy
May 06, 2023 04:00 - 25 minutesThis week's Modern Retail Rundown starts with an overview of Shopify’s renewed focus on being an e-commerce solution provider, as the company sells off its logistics business. Next, we check in on the state of 15-minute delivery apps, in light of Getir's latest European acquisition. Lastly, a discussion of why Peloton is betting on digital fitness as a long-term revenue stream.
Ebay's chief product officer on growing the legacy marketplace
May 04, 2023 21:49 - 28 minutesEbay may be decades old, but the company is still trying to iterate as if it were a startup. "We're still a work in progress, there's still a lot more that we need to change," said Eddie Garcia, eBay's chief product officer. He joined the Modern Retail Podcast this week and spoke about his priorities, and the way the marketplace landscape has evolved. Garcia is an eBay boomerang. He first started working for the company in 2003 and then left in 2014 to work at other companies like Sam's Club ...
Modern Retail Rundown: Amazon swings to profit, fast casual's resilience & Target goes all in on curbside returns
April 29, 2023 04:00 - 23 minutesThis week on the Modern Retail Rundown begins with a quick update on Bed Bath & Beyond's closures. Then an overview of Amazon’s latest earnings, which include $9.5 billion in ad revenue. Next up is a look at the state of fast casual dining, and why chains like Chipotle and Subway are thriving despite inflation. Finally, we discuss Target's longtime investment in curbside fulfillment, with the latest iteration giving shoppers the ability to return items curbside.
A-Frame Brands CEO Ari Bloom on launching startups with celebrities like John Legend and Naomi Osaka
April 27, 2023 04:00 - 39 minutesA-Frame Brands is focused on building brands for underserved communities but with big names behind them. And national retail is a big part of its strategy. According to co-founder and CEO Ari Bloom, there's a lot that goes into making a celebrity brand work. But he thinks he's tapped the formula. So far, A-Frame has launched brands with powerhouse names like Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union, Naomi Osaka and John Legend -- and all of these consumer-facing products have launched in major stores lik...
Modern Retail Rundown: Ikea's expansion plans, David's Bridal Chapter 11 redux & Bed Bath & Beyond's imminent bankruptcy
April 22, 2023 04:00 - 24 minutesThis week on the Modern Retail Rundown, we go into Ikea’s $2.2 billion plan to grow in the U.S., complete with a new store concept and overall footprint expansion. Next, we dive into why David’s Bridal is filing for its second Chapter 11 protection in five years -- despite operating during a booming wedding industry. In other bankruptcy news: an update on a possible filing by Bed Bath & Beyond, following store closures and staff layoffs.
Curie founder Sarah Moret on leveraging QVC to be a national brand
April 20, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutesPersonal care brand Curie looks like a traditional DTC brand at first glance, but has grown thanks to a variety of unorthodox channels. For one, the company has been featured over a dozen times on QVC, and that has helped it reach a brand new and eager audience. What's more, Curie founder and CEO Sarah Moret pitched her brand on Shark Tank -- which gave her both a boost thanks to a deal with Barbara Corcoran, as well as viral sales. "We've grown 10x since we aired on Shark Tank," Moret said. ...
Modern Retail Rundown: Walmart's urban problem, Amazon's latest vision for Whole Foods & shakeups at Tonal
April 15, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutesOn this week's Modern Retail Rundown, we discuss Walmart's lackluster performance in urban centers, following the retail giant's major Chicago exit. Next, a preview from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shows that the Whole Foods ownership hasn't panned out well when it comes to Amazon's big grocery ambitions. Lastly, we discuss the latest updates from connected fitness startup Tonal, including a C-suite reshuffle and founder Aly Orady's departure.
'Stores have always been a part of our story': Argent CEO Sali Christeson on the women's workwear brand's growth plans
April 13, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutesWomen's workwear brand Argent is back in growth mode. The company first launched in 2016, and saw a precipitous rise over its first few years -- especially thanks to well-known fans of the brand like Hilary Clinton. But the pandemic changed everything -- with people no longer going to work in offices and overall demand plummeting. During that time, said Argent founder and CEO Sali Christeson, "it really became about survival and hunkering down and going lean and figuring out what our strategy...
Modern Retail Rundown: L’Oréal scoops up Aesop, American Eagles scales back supply chain investments & Chipotle vs. Sweetgreen
April 08, 2023 04:00 - 24 minutesOn the Modern Retail Rundown we discuss L’Oréal's $2.5 billion Aesop acquisition, the biggest in the beauty giant's history, and what it means for Aesop's previous owner Natura & Co. This week also saw shakeups at American Eagle’s supply chain arm, Quiet Platforms, with its president exiting the company as AE focuses on profitability. Finally, we discuss why Chipotle rushed to sue Sweetgreen over the salad chain's new burrito bowl.
'All my eggs in the Facebook basket': True Classic CEO Ryan Bartlett on growing a DTC brand on paid social
April 06, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutesMen's apparel brand True Classic was able to become a $250 million company -- and it thanks Facebook for its success. "I knew I was going to put all my eggs in the Facebook basket," said co-founder and CEO Ryan Bartlett. Lucky for him, the company launched before the changes to iOS 14, and his thesis worked. The company says it's profitable, has sold over $250 million worth of goods since its launch in 2019 and now has five stores open around the U.S. Bartlett joined the Modern Retail Podcast...
Modern Retail Rundown: Macy's CEO plots an exit, Uber Eats' ghost kitchen cleanup & Telfar’s new pricing model
April 01, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutesEvery week on the Modern Retail Rundown, we analyze the most important news within the retail world. This week's episode starts with a discussion on Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette's announcement that he will step down next February and what it can mean for the department store's future. Next, we dissect Uber Eats' mission to crack down on low-rated ghost kitchens, to improve food and service quality. Lastly, a dive into Telfar’s new dynamic price model, which is generating excitement and some confu...
Macy's Marc Mastronardi on the department store's revamped brick-and-mortar strategy
March 30, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutesMacy's is in the process of rethinking its entire store business. Recent moves emphasize this shift: at its most recent earnings, the company said it was focusing on opening more off-mall locations, a distinct shift from its place as a mall stalwart. According to Marc Mastronardi, Macy's chief stores officer, this shift is a long-time coming and indicative of a longstanding strategy to rethink its stores and the way they operate. The company's strategy now, Mastronardi said, is "us defining i...
Modern Retail Rundown: More layoffs, Panera Bread's Amazon One rollout & Foot Locker reviving its Nike partnership
March 25, 2023 04:00 - 22 minutesThis week on the Modern Retail Rundown, we analyze the most important news within the retail world. This episode starts out by giving up update on the latest Amazon layoffs, in which the company announced it's cutting 9,000 employees. Next is an overview of Panera rolling out Amazon One's palm checkout, becoming the first major restaurant chain to adopt the tech. The rundown then moves into how Foot Locker and Nike planning the next phase of their partnership.
Saks CMO Emily Essner on building a digital business off of a legacy retailer
March 23, 2023 04:00 - 37 minutesSaks has big plans to grow its business by focusing on digital initiatives and targeting younger shoppers. The company spun off its digital business from its well-known stores in late 2021. And the retailer says the two-business strategy has worked out: it's acquired 3 million new customers over the last year-plus. According to CMO Emily Essner, it's because Saks is more focused on being new than ever before. The problems the business had before the spin-off, she said, was "a lot of the thing...
Modern Retail Rundown: SVB's woes, TikTok faces ban threats and H&M gets into resale
March 18, 2023 04:00 - 21 minutesOn this week’s episode of the Modern Retail Rundown, we continue to analyze the latest shakeups in the industry. The program starts by giving an update on Silicon Valley Bank, including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. It then discusses TikTok's recent pressure to sell or face a U.S. ban, and how that can impact retailers and brands' marketing outlooks. Finally, the show looks at how feasible resale is for fast fashion brands like H&M, which just announced a partnership with ThredUp.
'Like a car dealership': How Impossible Kicks is trying to become a digital resale empire
March 16, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutesSneaker resale marketplace Impossible Kicks is taking a more analog approach to sneaker resale. In a world where most valuable hype beast-esque kicks are sold on platforms like StockX, Impossible Kicks has been focused on opening stores over the last two years. It now has over two dozen locations in ten states, with plans to open seven more this year. But it also is now expanding into online, trying to compete more directly with its digital counterparts. So far, the business has been working:...
Modern Retail Rundown: Allbirds woes, Shein vs. Temu and the rise of 'premiumization'
March 11, 2023 05:00 - 27 minutesOn this week's episode of the Modern Retail Rundown, the team continues to dissect the new economic realities the retail industry faces. This episode discusses a few hot topics coming out of the retail industry. First up is a look at Allbirds’ first year as a publicly traded company. We then discuss the new Shein vs. Temu rivalry. Finally, we ask why a lot of mainstream brands are reinventing themselves to court the premium shopper.
'There were multiple times I thought maybe we won't make it': M.M.LaFleur CEO Sarah LaFleur on the women's wear brand's new store strategy
March 09, 2023 05:00 - 35 minutesAfter a difficult 2020 and 2021, women's work apparel brand M.M.LaFleur is once again in growth mode. The company is investing in new stores and showrooms, and says that sales are picking up again after business cratered during the pandemic. "There were multiple times where I thought maybe we won't make it, maybe the business won't survive," said founder and CEO Sarah LaFleur. She joined the Modern Retail Podcast this week and spoke about the company's new focus on stores and how it's positio...
Modern Retail Rundown: Instacart once-again prepares for IPO, the end of Nordstrom's Canadian dreams and anti-dollar stores sentiment grows
March 04, 2023 05:00 - 26 minutesOn this episode of the Modern Retail Rundown, we continue to dissect the new economic realities the retail industry faces. This week, we discuss the whispers surrounding Instacart's long and winding road to an IPO and why Nordstrom Canadian ambitions failed. We also contemplate why dollar store chains are receiving so much resistance from the American public. The Modern Retail Rundown is a weekly program where the Modern Retail staff breaks down the week’s top news.
'There's going to be a lot of consolidation': Aviron CEO Andy Hoang on growing a fitness brand during a cooling economy
March 02, 2023 05:00 - 33 minutesAviron, which makes a connected rowing machine that starts at about $1,800, is taking a more sustainable growth approach than counterparts like Peloton. The company launched a couple of years before the pandemic hit. The focus was on bootstrapping and slowly building a business via B-to-B sales from wholesalers that would sell to hotels and other large businesses. But then the pandemic hit and the company had to switch its business model. While it did lose money during the first half of 2020,...
Modern Retail Rundown: Marketplaces lean on ad growth and big-box stores prepare for the worst
February 25, 2023 05:00 - 28 minutesSome of the largest companies are making big changes to their business models. That was the overall theme of this week's Modern Retail Rundown, a weekly program where Modern Retail editors break down the week's biggest industry news. In this episode, we talk about how ad sales are boosting revenue for marketplaces like Ebay and Etsy – even during rough times. Next, we discuss how major retailers are warning of a slowdown in demand in the coming year. And finally, we delve into Starbucks’ buzz...
'There will be some contraction': Camino Partners' Elle Lanning on rocky consumer VC landscape
February 23, 2023 05:00 - 40 minutesThe brains behind the snack giant Kind are now bringing their expertise to the investment space. Kind founder Daniel Lubetzky unveiled Camino Partners earlier this month, an investment and incubation platform looking to help the next wave of entrepreneurs. The idea is to harness what made Kind -- which sold to Mars in 2020 for reportedly $5 billion -- so successful into a program that will fund the next successful consumer-facing brands. That's no easy task, according to Elle Lanning, managin...
Introducing: The Modern Retail Rundown Podcast
February 18, 2023 05:00 - 31 minutesModern Retail is excited to unveil our latest podcast: The Modern Retail Rundown. This weekly program, hosted by senior reporter Gabriela Barkho, goes through all the big retail headlines of the week, providing deep analysis and insights into these large industry happenings. We'll bring in guests such as reporters and editors who know retail inside and out to discuss why these stories are important, and what they mean for the overall ecosystem. This week, we talk about Amazon's grocery ambiti...
Sundays co-founders Barbora and Moe Samieian on taking a Canadian home goods brands international
February 16, 2023 05:00 - 34 minutesSundays is trying to become the leading DTC home furnishings brand in Canada, but it also has its sights set on international expansion. The company started as a side hustle of two married entrepreneurs and has snowballed into a full-blown international business. While most of its business is in Canada, Sundays has been slowly building out its U.S. business -- and has plans to open a pop-up in the country hopefully sometime in the next year. "We started just with living room pieces, and over ...
'It's all about diversification': Nutrafol CEO Giorgos Tsetis on scaling a DTC wellness brand
February 09, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutesFor years, Nutrafol has focused predominately on DTC. But now it's taking a big step into retail. This month, the hair wellness brand started selling in Sephora. It's one of the first big wholesale relationships Nutrafol has made. Though it's been around since 2014, Nutrafol -- which sells supplements to help with hair loss and other health issues like menopause -- has sold predominately on its own site, as well as Amazon and in certain physician offices. This has remained the case even after...
XRC Labs partner Diana Melencio on investing during an economic downturn
February 02, 2023 05:00 - 37 minutesXRC Labs is looking for the next consumer brand winner. The organization is both a venture capital fund and accelerator that has been around since 2015. Its portfolio companies include Outlines, Caraa and Billie. Partner Diana Melencio is constantly trying to figure out what's next -- and what market is under-tapped. On the Modern Retail Podcast this week, Melencio spoke about her investing process and the areas she's most excited about for the year to come. For example, she sees men's skinca...
'We write Nature papers and we write Instagram posts': Seed Health's Ara Katz on evangelizing the microbiome
January 26, 2023 05:00 - 46 minutesSeed Health is a microbiome company trying to disrupt the way health, business and science overlap. While its first product is its probiotic line, Seed has more lofty ambitions to do deep research into human health and rethink the way most people think about the microbiome. The microbiome technically is the community of microbes that live inside an organism, but it's most commonly referred to as a generalized term for human gut health that supplements like probiotics help to support. On the M...
Goodbuy co-founder Cara Oppenheimer on building a small business platform to rival mega-retailers
January 19, 2023 05:00 - 41 minutesGoodbuy is trying to be the anti-mega-retailer. Goodbuy, launched in 2021, is a startup that gives shoppers small-business alternatives to bigger retailer websites. The company offers a browser extension that, when launched on a site like Amazon and Walmart, highlights other smaller brands that offer similar products. Goodbuy also launched a mobile shopping site that lets users search for brands based on different criteria such as product type, region or founder demographic. "I wanted to crea...
Sunday Citizen co-founder Mike Abadi on expanding beyond its DTC roots
January 12, 2023 05:00 - 34 minutesBedding brand Sunday Citizen first started in 2018 as a small side hustle. In 2018, Mike Abadi was living in China and helping connect entrepreneurs with product suppliers. The owner of a boutique hotel asked him to make a soft yet hearty blanket. Abadi met the request and realized he had stumbled upon a pretty great product. A year later, that blanket became the beginnings of the brand Sunday Citizen. And today, Sunday Citizen has grown into an eight-figure business that makes blankets, pill...
'A new resting heartbeat': Instacart's vp of retail partnerships Ryan Hamburger on what's next for grocery delivery
January 05, 2023 05:00 - 32 minutesTwo years ago, grocery delivery platforms like Instacart saw huge gains thanks to pandemic-induced consumption changes. Now, the road is a little bit bumpier. But Instacart's vp of retail partnerships Ryan Hamburger is conservatively bullish about the future -- both for his company and the overall grocery delivery industry. He joined the Modern Retail Podcast and went deep into the trends he's observing as of late. One thing is for sure, though: given the tough economic climate and recent ind...