The Brand Building Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Brandi, founder of Weston Heated Apparel, to hear how she turned a failed textbook business into an 8-figure seasonal brand loved by cold-weather customers across the country. 
From bootstrapping and building strong supplier relationships to launching heated gloves, jackets, and socks — Brandi shares the real story behind her success, her growth strategy, and how she avoids burnout by working with the seasons.
Check out Weston Apparel here: https://www.westonstore.com/ 
Connect with Brandi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandicasey/ 
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

AI is changing email marketing forever. With Gmail’s Gemini, Apple Mail’s smart inbox, Outlook Copilot, and Yahoo’s AI summaries, your emails may never even get opened — not because of bad subject lines, but because AI already told your customers what’s inside. 
In this video, I break down how AI summarizers are disrupting email marketing, what it means for open and click rates, and how to adapt your strategy before your campaigns get buried.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

In this episode, we sit down with Louis Joseph, founder of Alps & Meters, a premium alpine sportswear brand blending old-world craftsmanship with modern utility. 
Louis shares his journey from corporate roles to launching a luxury ski apparel company built on timeless style, quality, and performance. 
Learn how he navigated startup life, inventory challenges, and the future of the ski industry.
Check out Alps & Meter: https://www.alpsandmeters.co.uk//?srsltid=AfmBOoqggoQRl0mVFbvjDG-hF2aSysqIKioSBQafMrPC3epIOuzvKS8Q&utm_source=AM-us 
Connect with Louis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-joseph-0b35281/ 
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform- source=www.youtube.com
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

How Two Friends Built a 7-Figure Bag Brand From Scratch | FTL Founders Interview
Meet Xander and Ryan, lifelong friends who turned a personal pain point into a thriving direct-to-consumer bag brand, FTL. 
In this episode, they share how they went from bootstrapping prototypes in their spare time to landing partnerships with pro athletes and major sports teams—all while leaving behind their corporate careers. Learn how authentic relationships, scrappy marketing, and relentless product development fueled their momentum.
Check out FTL: https://ftlbags.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ftlbags/ Connect with Xander & Ryan: hello@ftlbags.com 
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

Is your Klaviyo list bloated and underperforming? Dead emails are costing you serious money. In this video, I reveal a step-by-step “off-the-grid” email revival strategy that doesn’t even require Klaviyo. 
Learn how to fix deliverability, warm up a new domain, clean your list, and re-engage cold subscribers using high-deliverability ESPs like Mailchimp. Perfect for ecommerce brands serious about retention in 2025.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

Stuck at $1M in revenue with your Shopify brand? This video breaks down the exact differences between 7-figure DTC hustlers and 9-figure ecommerce giants like Jaded London and Dr. Squatch. 
From capital structure to ad strategy, team building, and ops — learn what it really takes to scale from $1M to $100M and beyond. If you're serious about growth, this is your roadmap.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 
Breakdown of my FREE $4K Brand Retention Audit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_tywPkNcqY 

If your eCommerce growth feels stuck, it’s probably not your ads or product. You’re likely leaving hundreds of thousands in revenue on the table from customers who’ve already said yes.
In this video I break down:
✅ Why most brands struggle with retention✅ How our 28-point Brand Retention Audit works✅ The exact process to unlock 20%+ more revenue in the next 90 days✅ And how to get this $4,000 audit completely free if you qualify
We deep-dive into email deliverability, SMS flows, campaign strategy, creative, automation, push, direct mail, and more. You’ll walk away with a tactical roadmap designed to make your backend revenue engine print cash.
👉 Click the link below to apply for your free retention audit. Spots are limited.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

From a garage in Utah to a 38,000 sq. ft. HQ — this is the wild story of how two hunters built BAKCOU, the e-bike brand that’s changing the game for backcountry hunters and outdoor adventurers. 
No investors. No plan. Just grit, faith, and a whole lot of hustle.
We talk product failures, brutal tariffs, big pivots — and why BAKCOU bikes are built like tanks.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 Connect with David: - https://www.instagram.com/bakcoudave/- https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-andre-883021188/ 

From a kitchen table in Redondo Beach to generating $1B+ in revenue for brands like Star Wars, Coors Banquet, and Macy’s—these are the 9 lessons I learned building Bread Loaf over 9 years. 
Whether you're starting an agency or scaling your business, these insights are the roadmap I wish I had on day one.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

In 2025, AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the engine behind every dollar spent in eCommerce. From ad creatives and video production to product photos, website design, analytics, and even SEO—AI is reshaping everything.
In this video, I break down how smart brands are using AI tools like Creatify AI, Triple Whale’s Moby, and more to scale faster, cut costs, and win in a competitive DTC landscape.
If you want to future-proof your brand and unlock the power of AI in your eCommerce strategy, this is the video you need to see.
✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 
🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 
AI tools every brand needs to use HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLBF-aWLJmk