$40M in 5 Years: The Profit-First Obvi Playbook for DTC and Retail Domination → Ronak Shah

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In this episode of the 2X eCommerce Podcast, Kunle Campbell interviews Ron Shah, co-founder of Obvi, a successful collagen brand that has profitably grown to a $40 million business in just five years. Ron shares the strategic shifts from direct-to-consumer (DTC) to retail, insights on user-generated content (UGC) and community building, and the importance of lean operations. He discusses the learnings from their presence in major retailers like Walmart and emphasizes the role of micro-influencers and loyal customers in their marketing strategy. The episode offers valuable lessons on navigating the challenges of the evolving eCommerce landscape and building a profitable brand with minimal resources.

  • (00:00) - $40M in 5 Years: The Profit-First Obvi Playbook for DTC and Retail Domination → Ronak Shah
  • (02:50) - Ron Shah's Journey in the Supplement Industry
  • (04:46) - Formation of Obvi and Leadership Team
  • (07:02) - Scaling Obvi: From Startup to $40 Million
  • (08:34) - Profitability and Lean Operations
  • (09:10) - Leveraging Agencies and Performance Models
  • (13:21) - Building a Strong Community and Ambassador Program
  • (17:07) - Retail Expansion and Lessons Learned
  • (22:37) - Customer Insights at Walmart
  • (23:41) - Social Media Strategy for Walmart Listings
  • (27:33) - Impact of Brand Collaborations
  • (29:03) - The Rise of TikTok Shop
  • (32:20) - UGC and CGC Strategies
  • (36:21) - Content Creation and Ad Strategy
  • (43:34) - Rapid Fire Questions
  • (45:32) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Resources mentioned: 
  • Insense: A platform used for sourcing creators and generating user-generated content (UGC).
  • TikTok Shop: A growing social commerce platform that integrates shopping directly into the TikTok experience.
  • Shopify and Shop App: Obvi uses Shopify for DTC sales and sees potential in the Shop App for social commerce innovation.
  • SPINS and Nielsen Data: Tools for retail sales analytics, used to gather insights about performance in stores like Walmart.

Books Mentioned

Community Management
  • Obvi’s Facebook Group: A 105,000-member community of loyal customers actively engaging around collagen and wellness topics.

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Creators and Guests

Kunle Campbell
Host
Kunle Campbell
Host of the 2X eCommerce Podcast and Co-Founder at OCTILLION
Ronak Shah
Guest
Ronak Shah
Ronak Shah is the CEO & Co-Founder of Obvi. He previously worked at Hooked On Phonics as s Marketing Director - Consultant. Ronak Shah attended Pace University - Lubin School of Business.
$40M in 5 Years: The Profit-First Obvi Playbook for DTC and Retail Domination → Ronak Shah
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