Today on the show we’ve got a very special guest, one of the OGs of ecommerce, Ezra Firestone.

He’s been around forever, running brands like Boom by Cindy Joseph, building software companies like Zipify, and creating training businesses like Smart Marketer, all while staying hands-on in the game as the DTC landscape keeps evolving.

We get into how he went from top wig drop-shipper to building and exiting nine-figure brands, and how that journey shaped the way he thinks about marketing today. Ezra breaks down the creative frameworks and persona funnels he’s using to scale - building tailored journeys that speak directly to specific customer mindsets and motivations - and why a one-size-fits-all approach no longer cuts it in today’s performance landscape.

He also shares why most brands are underusing Amazon and Shop App, how to approach them as full-funnel growth channels, and what it looks like to prepare your brand for AI-native discovery through structured data and platform-level optimization. Plus, we get into Meta ad theory, challenger brand tactics and how Ezra’s role has evolved from hands-on operator to long-term strategist focused on sustainable growth, supporting great teams, and staying aligned with what actually matters.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

09:07 The Drop Shipping Business Model Explained

19:26 The Shift from Drop Shipping to Brand Ownership

29:21 Content as a Core Strategy in E-Commerce

39:18 Storytelling and Engagement in Marketing

45:04 Maximizing Amazon and Shop App Opportunities

56:07 The Rise of LLMs and SEO Strategies

59:20 Optimizing E-commerce Operations for Success

01:00:13 Transitioning from Operator to Navigator

01:06:32 The Importance of Strategic Thinking in Business

01:14:08 Evaluating Business Models: E-commerce vs. Agency vs. Software

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Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

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Today we’re joined by Connor Dault, CMO of Grüns, to talk about his move into the company, how he got up to speed, and the steps he took to work effectively with a team that was already performing at a high level.

We cover his onboarding approach, how he finds quick wins without disrupting existing success, and how Grüns spots opportunities by pairing customer feedback with cultural trends. Connor breaks down their persona-based marketing strategy, balancing cohesive messaging with high testing velocity, and deciding when to quietly test versus go all-in on a new idea.

He also shares the approaches that drove early growth, from Meta advertising to retention-focused customer experience, and the channels now driving scale, including CTV, YouTube, influencer partnerships, and closer cross-team alignment.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out Episode 49 when Connor Dault was first on the show - How Digital Product Fuels DTC Growth with Connor Dault

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

07:22 Onboarding and Team Dynamics in Marketing

15:15 Building Cohesion Across Marketing Strategies

23:12 Navigating Brand Messaging and Consumer Engagement

35:09 Tactical Approaches to Marketing Campaigns

38:15 Strategic Hook Development

41:47 Testing and Personalization Strategies

44:41 Seasonal Marketing and Campaign Planning

48:31 Growth Strategies and Revenue Bands

51:51 Unlocking New Marketing Channels

01:04:52 Innovative Projects and Measurement

01:10:23 Leadership and Feedback Culture

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Today, we’re kicking things off by sharing how we’re structuring our content teams - from hiring in-house roles to building systems around freelancers - and how that supports creative that performs across both brand and paid.

Next we dive into how we’re iterating on some of the biggest campaigns we run at our brands: the sweepstakes. We talk through what’s changing this year, how we’re using influencer content in new ways, and how we’re optimizing campaigns across Meta, YouTube, and TV.

We also get into what we’re testing right now, from comment-to-enter flows to view content objectives and engagement-first creative, and how we use those signals to improve each round.

To wrap up, we look at a product page from Fellow as an example of strong direct response storytelling and share how we’re applying those same principles to our own landing pages.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

03:58 Insights on AI in Creative Strategy

07:16 Behind the Scenes of Content Production

11:06 The Evolution of Internal Content Production

15:18 The Importance of Incrementality Testing

19:18 Planning for Sweepstakes and Major Changes

28:35 Execution Strategies for Sweepstakes Campaigns

38:28 Leveraging Influencer Content for Marketing Success

40:48 Innovative Ad Strategies and Content Creation

44:24 Expanding Marketing Channels and Engagement Metrics

47:31 Understanding Sweepstakes Performance and Audience Engagement

59:20 Cash vs. Experience: The Sweepstakes Dilemma

01:04:19 Building Anticipation for New Campaigns

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/