You’ve got questions. Nik’s got answers.
In this Listener Mailbag, Nik answers questions about hiring, AI tools, video ads, and more. How do you assess Marketers when you decide to bring someone onto your team? Why are Triple Whale and Motion The Next Big Things in DTC? What’s the deal with Shopify themes? Get ready for open source, creator-lead bots in ecom.
Plus, think you need video to run paid ads? Think again. Nik gives the blueprint for making static ads work, how to analyze ad funnel performance in Meta, and what role UGC (especially founder-led) still plays in 2025.
And, Nik outlines tiered strategies for scaling $20M+ brands. That’s a TON of money—put it into something that moves the needle.
Omnisend - email & SMS marketing so good, it’s boring! You’ve got enough exciting stuff to worry about. Let us be the reliable platform you can depend on. Make an average $68* for every $1 you spend. Start for free!
Visit https://your.omnisend.com/limitedsupply
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
--------
34:12
S12 E11: The Most Underrated Way to Grow a Mission-Driven Brand (with Sam Springfield, Senior Director of Content at Bark)
How do you build a powerful, parent-first brand in one of the most emotionally charged industries?
In this episode of Limited Supply, Nik goes behind the scenes with Sam Springfield, Senior Director of Content at Bark, the parental controls tech company helping families navigate the digital world.
Sam breaks down why Bark prioritizes educational storytelling over fear-based messaging, and how they produce high-performing social, blog, and video content—including launching their own podcast. How do you leverage these things for brand awareness? How do you get these avenues to convert?
Plus, Sam shares some hot takes on why not every trend is worth chasing, how brands can minimize revision hell with freelancers, and why AI won’t replace marketers—it’ll just make us smarter and faster.
And, Nik and Sam reveal what’s overrated in the DTC space.
Omnisend - email & SMS marketing so good, it’s boring! You’ve got enough exciting stuff to worry about. Let us be the reliable platform you can depend on. Make an average $68* for every $1 you spend. Start for free!
Visit https://your.omnisend.com/limitedsupply
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
--------
38:11
S12 E10: The Data-Driven Way to Make More Money Online (with Dylan Ander, Founder + CEO of Heatmap.com)
Are your ads converting? Is conversion rate a vanity metric? What’s the deal with split testing?
This week’s guest, Dylan Ander, loooooves websites, conversions, ads, and more—and he’s even known as the CRO Guy. He founded Heatmap.com to help brands get real-time behavior on their websites.
Nik and Dylan dive deep into why most brands obsess over ad creative but ignore the real moneymaker: the website. Dylan unpacks the fundamentals of user psychology, shares the truth about what CRO actually means (spoiler: it’s not just button colors), and breaks down how he approaches copywriting, landing pages, and full-site redesigns without relying on guesswork.
Plus, in the age of AI, are analytics ever going to go away? Dylan doesn’t think so.
Omnisend - email & SMS marketing so good, it’s boring! You’ve got enough exciting stuff to worry about. Let us be the reliable platform you can depend on. Make an average $68* for every $1 you spend. Start for free!
Visit https://your.omnisend.com/limitedsupply
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
--------
51:23
S12 E9: Story of a Subscription Empire (with Michael Broukhim, Co-CEO + Co-Founder of FabFitFun)
Live from SubSummit 2025, FabFitFun co-founder and co-CEO Michael Broukhim joins Nik to unpack the wild journey from political web design to pioneering subscription commerce.
1 in 6 women have been FabFitFun subscribers at one point—a feat that Michael knows is all about connection, curating the right products, and helping other brands grow in the process. He explains subscription commerce has matured. How has FabFitFun differentiated itself?
The company is the “inverse of TJ Maxx” as Michael likes to say. TJ Maxx is more like a treasure hunt, while in the subscription box world, the treasure comes to you. FabFitFun also aims to have products at the beginning of the product cycle instead of end-of-season like many discount stores. Why does timing have to be perfect?
Plus, why do new CEOs need to be a little paranoid about their business? Michael and Nik share why braving positive growth and some setbacks are inevitable.
Omnisend - email & SMS marketing so good, it’s boring! You’ve got enough exciting stuff to worry about. Let us be the reliable platform you can depend on. Make an average $68* for every $1 you spend. Start for free!
Visit https://your.omnisend.com/limitedsupply
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
--------
1:03:07
S12 E8: The Story Behind Sharma Brands + DTC Success (from Ecom North)
How did Nik start Sharma Brands? Why did he pivot from tech to DTC? Does he actually know Pitbull personally?
If you missed Nik’s talk at Ecom North in Canada, have no fear, it’s here. He’s breaking down his backstory: from taking a gap year and never going to college to joining an agency in New York, Nik’s worked A LOT. It didn’t happen overnight.
Nik and his team build trust by problem solving and providing great client service. For example, he shares the Five Minute Rule: if a client messages you before midnight on a weekday, you owe them a response within five minutes. Sounds serious? It totally is—but that’s how you gain credibility in the DTC world.
Plus, what’s the difference between in-house, agency, and freelancing? The truth is, it really depends. Some brands might even need a combination. And, Nik shares his formula on positioning, subscription models, and audience perception.
Omnisend - email & SMS marketing so good, it’s boring! You’ve got enough exciting stuff to worry about. Let us be the reliable platform you can depend on. Make an average $68* for every $1 you spend. Start for free!
Visit https://your.omnisend.com/limitedsupply
Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips.
Check out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ
And if you’re looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik’s most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts.
Follow Nik:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
So many DTC brands think nice PR is more important than honesty. But that’s not us.
I'm Nik, and I'm tired of all the hot air in our industry. This podcast is the behind-the-scenes conversation that gets to the heart of what DTC is really like.
Nik Sharma founded Sharma Brands - and has no reason not to call people out, and share his spicy takes. Joined by the most experienced names in the industry, these are the conversations you won’t hear anywhere else.
We’ll be diving deep into industry moves, autopsies on failed brands, and why we’re investing in certain companies. Episodes drop every Wednesday. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Sverige