EPISODE · Mar 20, 2025 · 54 MIN
EP39: Is Direct to Consumer Dying? Hard Truths About eCommerce as a Business Model in 2025
from ASOM Pod · host ASOM Pod
In this episode of The ASOM Pod, hosts John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), Bryan McDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma's Pride), and Jimmy Kim (CEO dig into the ever-changing world of DTC businesses. Is the DTC model on life support, or is it just shedding its old skin and evolving? The crew doesn’t hold back as they unpack the biggest mistakes DTC brands keep making—like betting everything on paid ads, failing to diversify, and ignoring what customers actually want.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:- The real reasons DTC brands are struggling (spoiler: it’s not just rising ad costs)- The danger of treating performance marketing like a religion- Why jumping into retail just because can backfire—hard- How to spot the “Know-It-All Founder” syndrome before it tanks your company- Lessons from brands that flopped (and how to avoid their fate)If you’re running a DTC brand (or thinking about starting one), this episode is a must-listen. _____Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/Nacelle — Transform your eCommerce store with AI-powered product recommendations that understand your customers’ actual behaviors, not just their purchases. Learn more at https://www.nacelle.comWorkspace6 — The best community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators. Why struggle alone? Other founders have already solved your biggest challenges. Learn more at https://www.workspace6.io Subscribe to our newsletter! We drop weekly hot takes, totally unfiltered. Join us at https://asompod.com_____00:00 Teaser Trailer02:11 Welcome to the ASOM Pod04:54 DTC: Is It Dying?15:30 The Rise and Fall of Smile Direct Club22:08 Casper: The Mattress Revolution27:36 Falling Asleep in Public28:19 13 Sins That Killed the DTC Business30:44 Overconfidence in Branding31:28 The Illusion of Customer Centricity32:36 Data Company Pitfalls33:36 Digital Media Addiction34:23 Discount Addiction34:34 Performance Marketing Religion36:30 Retail FOMO39:08 Tech Company Trap42:32 Jumping Around Syndrome43:06 Missed Financial Projections45:31 Ignoring Parental Advice46:38 The Know-It-All Founder48:50 Guess That Business Game51:54 Wrapping Up and Next Episode Teaser_____Follow Jimmy Kim at: X: https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykimIG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykimFollow Bryan MacDonald at:X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomasprideLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ctIG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasaladTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasaladFollow John Roman at: X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRomanLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromesTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmromanFollow Amer Grozdanic at: X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanicLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanicIG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanicTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanicContact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!
What this episode covers
In this episode of The ASOM Pod, hosts John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), Bryan McDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma's Pride), and Jimmy Kim (CEO dig into the ever-changing world of DTC businesses. Is the DTC model on life support, or is it just shedding its old skin and evolving? The crew doesn’t hold back as they unpack the biggest mistakes DTC brands keep making—like betting everything on paid ads, failing to diversify, and ignoring what customers actually want.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:- The real reasons DTC brands are struggling (spoiler: it’s not just rising ad costs)- The danger of treating performance marketing like a religion- Why jumping into retail just because can backfire—hard- How to spot the “Know-It-All Founder” syndrome before it tanks your company- Lessons from brands that flopped (and how to avoid their fate)If you’re running a DTC brand (or thinking about starting one), this episode is a must-listen. _____Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/Nacelle — Transform your eCommerce store with AI-powered product recommendations that understand your customers’ actual behaviors, not just their purchases. Learn more at https://www.nacelle.comWorkspace6 — The best community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators. Why struggle alone? Other founders have already solved your biggest challenges. Learn more at https://www.workspace6.io Subscribe to our newsletter! We drop weekly hot takes, totally unfiltered. Join us at https://asompod.com_____00:00 Teaser Trailer02:11 Welcome to the ASOM Pod04:54 DTC: Is It Dying?15:30 The Rise and Fall of Smile Direct Club22:08 Casper: The Mattress Revolution27:36 Falling Asleep in Public28:19 13 Sins That Killed the DTC Business30:44 Overconfidence in Branding31:28 The Illusion of Customer Centricity32:36 Data Company Pitfalls33:36 Digital Media Addiction34:23 Discount Addiction34:34 Performance Marketing Religion36:30 Retail FOMO39:08 Tech Company Trap42:32 Jumping Around Syndrome43:06 Missed Financial Projections45:31 Ignoring Parental Advice46:38 The Know-It-All Founder48:50 Guess That Business Game51:54 Wrapping Up and Next Episode Teaser_____Follow Jimmy Kim at: X: https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykimIG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykimFollow Bryan MacDonald at:X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomasprideLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ctIG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasaladTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasaladFollow John Roman at: X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRomanLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromesTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmromanFollow Amer Grozdanic at: X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanicLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanicIG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanicTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanicContact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!
NOW PLAYING
EP39: Is Direct to Consumer Dying? Hard Truths About eCommerce as a Business Model in 2025
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 14, 2026 ·23m
Mar 11, 2026 ·16m
Feb 28, 2026 ·14m