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Operators: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Sean Frank, Mike Beckham, Matt Bertulli, and Jason Panzer
In the world of ecommerce, a legendary text group is rumored to hold the secrets to unimaginable success. The catch? You must have nine figures in revenue to gain entry. The world’s biggest brands have denied its existence for years, until now. Four titans known as the “Operators” are leaking the secret contents in an effort to share its wealth of knowledge with people like you. Sean Frank (CEO, Ridge), Jason Panzer (President, HexClad), Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) & Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case x Lomi).
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- 2 weeks ago1h 7m
Inside a New DTC Brand’s Ad Engine, Run in 6 Steps: Operators Build (E10)
“Creative supply chain is the essential ingredient of demand.” Get all the resources from this episode: https://9ops.co/abchwj ★ 6-step framework ★ Brief template ★ Hook training guide Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Cody Plofker (Advisor & fmr. CEO, Jones Road) launched Winks with more ads than lessons. Now they walk through the six steps every ad faces, starting with the message. 1. Message 2. Source 3. Media Formats 4. Creative Approach 5. Funnel Role 6. Production Checks More ads went live, but Cody still didn’t know what was working. The fix is research by hand, down to an Instagram feed trained to think like the buyer. With AI editing and uploading their ads, taste is the job left for people. Powered By Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend Iris https://9ops.co/iris Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/
- 3 weeks ago1h 23m
How Hulken Hit $50M Without Raising: Founder Alex Schinasi
“We didn’t actually choose them. They chose us.” Can a bootstrapped brand enter Target and Costco while still growing DTC? Alex Schinasi (Co-Founder & President, Hulken) joins Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) to unpack how a two-time SaaS founder built a ~$50M rolling tote brand without raising money. She had raised $3M for a new SaaS when Hulken hit $1M a month. A year later she exited the startup, and now nine people run the business with AI chiefs of staff. She wants a brand that lasts decades, yet she still moves at software speed. Powered By Walmart https://marketplace.walmart.com/operators Alia https://hubs.la/Q04zdpBQ0 AfterShip https://9ops.co/AfterShip Podqi https://9ops.co/7zz1ux AppLovin https://www.9operators.com/paid-growth https://applovin.com/9operators
- 3 weeks ago1h 14m
5 Things Every CMO Wishes CEOs Knew But Will Never Say to Your Face
“Some businesses aren’t ready for great CMOs.” What do CMOs need from their CEOs but never say out loud? MacCoy Merkley (CMO, Portland Leather Goods), Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi), Jason Panzer (President, HexClad), and Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) unpack 5 truths CMOs won’t say to the boss’s face, and what CEOs lose by ignoring them. MacCoy took a $13K-a-year job off Craigslist and now leads marketing at a nearly $250M brand. HexClad still has no CMO, so Jason and its co-founders carry the role themselves. Hand the keys to the wrong hire, and the blame lands long before the results do. Powered By Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Northbeam https://9ops.co/northbeam Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/
- 3 weeks ago1h 35m
10 Elements of a Winning Offer & How to Test Them: Operators Build (E9)
“A great offer makes the customer feel stupid for saying no.” How do you know your offer is wrong before the market tells you? Jordan Menard (Co-Founder, Instant Hydration) and Lina Fahizul (Chief Ovary Officer, Freelance) join this episode to put Winks’ pricing, promotion, and pitch on trial. The payoff is a 10-element offer playbook any DTC brand can steal. 1. Not just price or discounts 2. Fits how the product is used 3. One customer + one problem 4. Adds value before discounts 5. Tackles your top objections 6. Gives a reason to buy “now” 7. Priced right for your market 8. Your most-valuable customer 9. Built for orders 2, 3, 4, etc. 10. Profitable unit economics It starts from a simple claim: Your discount gives away margin once. Jordan catches the founders without an answer for the CAC they can afford. Lina shows why making moms feel bad wins the click and loses the customer. Today's “winning” offer could lose money for months. Powered By Iris https://www.irisfinance.co/operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend OuterSignal https://9ops.co/outersignal Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/
- 4 weeks ago1h 6m
How to Position Your Brand & Products: 5 Ways to Win Against “Better”
“Better is probably the worst word you could use in marketing.” How can a DTC brand stand out in a category full of identical promises? Matt Orlić (Co-Founder, Qure Skincare) joins Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) and Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) to break down why brand positioning beats a better product. Each story shows how a brand can win a crowded category without inventing anything new. Qure’s water filters beat Jolie’s on technology and patents, yet Orlić can’t out-position them. Mike explains how Yeti took Thermos’s 1800s vacuum insulation and sold it for cold drinks. Once a position works, competitors move in, and the founders debate how to hold it. Powered By Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Northbeam https://9ops.co/northbeam Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/
- Oct 12, 202656 min
Our Ecommerce Marketing Strategy vs. Real Data: Operators Build (E8)
“We know how to run ads. This is a playbook.” How should you market a new DTC brand in its first six weeks? Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi), Cody Plofker (Advisor & fmr. CEO, Jones Road Beauty), and Curtis Christopherson (Chief Growth Officer, Ammortal) hold the Winks marketing plan up against the results since launch. They built the brand for moms, yet men keep showing up to buy. Meta CPMs hit $800 until a free account fix and a smaller budget turned them around. Now creators and credible doctors have to bring CAC down to $100 before they scale. Powered By Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell Skio https://9ops.co/skio-9operators Omnisend https://9ops.co/omnisend OuterSignal https://9ops.co/outersignal Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Runneth https://9ops.co/motion-runneth Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/
- Oct 8, 20261h 29m
Away’s CEO & New DTC Playbook: Amazon, TikTok Shop, and 300% Over Plan
“It’s about closing the imagination gap, not what it can do.” Jessica Schinazi (CEO, Away) joins Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Curtis Matsko (CEO, Portland Leather Goods) to break down how she took the reins of a decade-old DTC pioneer and opened it to new channels in 18 months. Away builds luggage to last 7 to 10 years, which Jessica calls a horrible business model. She chases new buyers: Up to 9% of her Amazon category and a $400 suitcase sold out on TikTok Shop. Now she has to bring each customer home before a day-one startup steals them. Powered by Podqi https://9ops.co/podqi AppLovin https://www.9operators.com/paid-growth https://applovin.com/9operators Shoplift https://shoplift.ai/operators Shiphero https://9ops.co/shiphero-titans
- Oct 7, 20261h 0m
How to Raise Capital for Your Brand: TJ Bongiorno (Founder Outgoing Co)
“You can have anything you want, but you can’t have it all at once.” Should you raise money when your only problem is working capital? Help an Operator Out (HAOO) is a series where real business owners join the podcast with live questions. In this episode, TJ Bongiorno (Founder, The Outgoing Co) brings two questions: when to raise capital and how to price the round. As a solo founder, he 4X’d the business to nearly $4M in a year. Nearly 90% of TJ’s revenue comes from powder, yet his cans perform 100X better on TikTok Shop. The hosts push him to choose which product leads his pitch. Matt makes the case for a price where investors win easily. Caught between seed funds and VCs, TJ needs a deal the right investors will take. Powered By Postscript https://9ops.co/postscript Aftersell https://9ops.co/aftersell-operators Richpanel https://9ops.co/richpanel Fulfil https://9ops.co/fulfil Northbeam https://9ops.co/northbeam Saras Analytics https://9ops.co/saras Operators Portal https://portal.9operators.com/dashboard Operators Newsletter https://9operators.com/
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About Operators
In the world of ecommerce, a legendary text group is rumored to hold the secrets to unimaginable success. The catch? You must have nine figures in revenue to gain entry. The world’s biggest brands have denied its existence for years, until now. Four titans known as the “Operators” are leaking the secret contents in an effort to share its wealth of knowledge with people like you. Sean Frank (CEO, Ridge), Jason Panzer (President, HexClad), Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) & Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case x Lomi).
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