Originally from Wisconsin, Nathan Vazquez studied computer science at Yale University. He worked for 15 years as an options trader at Citibank until he was eventually tempted by the idea of being his own boss with work that allowed him the flexiblity to spend more time with his family.

In 2015, he left his job in finance to join his wife’s sticker subscription company, Pipsticks. Within a year, Pipsticks had thousands of subscribers in over 50 countries. As CEO of Pipsticks, Nathan now manages the company’s growing business in the subscription, E-Commerce, wholesale, and licensing markets. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and four kids.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:23] Balancing creativity with business logic
• [05:43] Learning by doing and adapting fast
• [08:21] Growing an organic customer base
• [09:57] Stay updated with new episodes
• [10:06] Finding spending balance for growth
• [12:38] Seizing opportunities during market shifts
• [14:29] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Freight Right, Taboola, Next Insurance
• [20:00] Scaling your brand through audience feedback
• [24:10] Focusing on one thing at a time
• [26:32] Expanding a product to wholesale
• [28:25] Learning from early B2B mistakes
• [30:07] Measuring break-even for smart spending
• [33:04] Aligning resources with marketing strategy
• [34:29] Targeting break-even timelines strategically

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1
• Cute stickers for kids, crafters, anyone www.pipsticks.com/
• Stickers + stationery that say what you wish you could www.theswearjar.com/
• Follow Nathaniel Vazquez www.linkedin.com/in/nathaniel-vazquez-5b663222/
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Turn your domestic business into an international business www.freightright.com/honest
• Reach your best audience at the lowest cost! discover.taboola.com/honest/
• Easy, affordable coverage that grows with your business nextinsurance.com/honest/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Filipe Castro Matos is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Altar.io, where he helps founders go from idea to MVP with clarity and speed. With over a decade of experience across B2C and B2B startups—including an early exit, viral growth experiments, and advising dozens of founders—Filipe specializes in helping teams find their first customers and build Go-to-Market strategies that actually work.

His work today centers on solving one of the biggest problems in early-stage startups: the gap between building and growing. He's quietly building something new to bridge that gap.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:19] Learning ecommerce by evolving with companies
• [02:50] Avoiding guesswork through real user engagement
• [04:57] Avoiding costly guesses in early channels
• [07:24] Finding people who match your avatar
• [08:23] Returning to basics for direction clarity
• [08:51] Distinguishing buyers from friendly critics
• [11:29] Starting small when validating ideas
• [14:36] Simplifying business ideas through existing tools
• [15:29] Stay updated with new episodes
• [15:40] Capturing insights for go-to-market
• [17:36] Separating problem discovery from solutions
• [19:55] Going where the market is active
• [21:10] Introducing payments only after solutions
• [22:24] Digesting conversations into ICP
• [23:17] Pulling branding assets from real conversations
• [24:56] Testing organically before paid ads
• [27:04] Building a brand as key differentiator

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Digital products for entrepreneurs and business leaders: altar.io/us/
• Follow Filipe Castro Matos linkedin.com/in/filipecastromatos

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Jon Pundyk is a Dartmouth MBA, P&G brand manager, and a Booz-Allen strategy consultant. He’s been in Glamorise for 35 years. Glamorise is a size-inclusive lingerie brand that designs bras for curvy women. Founded in New York City in 1921, Glamorise is one of the world's oldest bra manufacturers, and it has been size-inclusive since their inception.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:28] Intro
• [00:53] Learning the fundamentals of consumer marketing
• [02:01] Climbing the ladder one title at a time
• [02:17] Pivoting a century-old business online
• [04:01] Transitioning from wholesale to direct-to-consumer
• [07:33] Balancing wholesale partners with D2C growth
• [10:08] Stay updated with new episodes
• [10:18] Investing ahead for scalable D2C growth
• [13:43] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Freight, Taboola, Next Insurance
• [19:16] Collecting data before knowing how to use it
• [20:25] Leveraging legacy brand recognition online
• [23:05] Relying on product quality to drive loyalty
• [24:08] Driving growth through actionable data insights

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1
• Plus size bras & lingeries for full-figured women glamorise.com/
• Follow Jon Pundyk linkedin.com/in/jrpundyk
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Turn your domestic business into an international business freightright.com/honest
• Performance beyond Search and Social discover.taboola.com/honest/
• Tailored business insurance. Zero hassle. Big savings nextinsurance.com/honest/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Nate Davenport is the Founder & CEO of Nebu Clothing, an outdoor apparel brand built for performance, versatility, and heart. Before launching Nebu, Nate led a finance team at Zappos and served as an infantry squad leader in the U.S. Marines, where he learned the value of gear that works under real pressure.

Nebu was born from frustration, products that changed for the sake of change, colors that blended into landscapes but not the spirit of adventure, and fits that never quite fit. Nate set out to fix that by building apparel that feels great, performs hard, and actually looks good.

In this episode, Nate shares how he rebuilt his Shopify site from scratch in 36 hours after a crash, how he found the right manufacturing partners through hands-on trial and error, and how he defines success by community and craftsmanship, not scale alone.

Whether you’re an ecommerce founder navigating supply chain complexity or a brand builder chasing quality over quantity, Nate’s story is a masterclass in learning fast, leading with purpose, and finding fulfillment beyond revenue.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:26] Intro
• [01:09] Building products that solve real use problems
• [03:16] Turning frustration into a product opportunity
• [05:46] Building intuition through contrast and visits
• [10:25] Selling through friends before running paid ads
• [14:53] Stay updated with new episodes
• [15:03] Building profitability through paid learning
• [15:43] Turning events and emails into ad leverage
• [17:14] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Heatmap & Freight Right
• [21:50] Balancing goodwill with measurable profit
• [22:28] Moving fulfillment from warehouse to garage
• [27:01] Choosing product ideas by improving what exists
• [32:54] Redefining success beyond scale and revenue
• [36:42] Connecting community through personal support

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Everyday active apparel nebuclothing.com/
• Follow Nate Davenport linkedin.com/in/nathan-davenport-327483186
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest
• Turn your domestic business into an international business freightright.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Shelley Gupta is the Founder & CEO of BāKIT Box, a STEM-based baking kit bringing global flavors and cultural traditions into homes across America. Her path to CPG began far from the kitchen as a recording artist signed to EMI Music before earning her CFA, an MBA from Chicago Booth, and leading strategy work at Accenture.

Blending creativity with financial rigor, Shelley turned a casual conversation with a homeschooling parent into a breakthrough channel, now approved as an official curriculum in 14 states. In this episode, she shares how that discovery reshaped her subscription strategy, why flexibility beats lock-in for retention, and how understanding the real buyer (not just the user) transformed her business.

Whether you’re an ecommerce founder rethinking your subscription model or a CPG operator looking for smarter customer acquisition paths, Shelley’s story is a lesson in listening deeply, iterating fast, and staying true to your mission.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:24] Intro
• [00:49] Building community through shared passions
• [02:20] Transforming baking into an educational tool
• [03:41] Launching early versions to test real demand
• [04:32] Reaching first customers through organic channels
• [05:24] Applying to accelerators as a product founder
• [06:00] Differentiating users from true buyers
• [06:52] Rebranding to serve a clearer customer base
• [07:48] Testing niche ideas before fully committing
• [08:56] Stay updated with new episodes
• [09:07] Turning chance encounters into growth channels
• [10:17] Building growth through genuine relationships
• [10:53] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Heatmap & Freight Right
• [15:31] Designing subscriptions with built-in flexibility
• [16:44] Expanding marketing beyond paid social
• [18:19] Understanding customer complexity and fatigue
• [20:41] Leveraging creative roots to build a brand

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• STEM Baking Kits for Curious Kids bakitbox.com/
• Follow Shelley Gupta linkedin.com/in/shelley-gupta
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest
• Turn your domestic business into an international business freightright.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Sonja Grasser is the Founder of Retention Theory, a consultancy helping CPG brands turn one-time buyers into loyal repeat customers through data-driven retention systems. With a background that spans law school, 60+ countries of travel, and hands-on work with brands like MaryRuth’s Organics, Sonja brings a uniquely behavioral approach to customer retention: rooted in psychology, not playbooks.

After landing in retention by accident as a German-speaking marketer, Sonja discovered her passion for understanding why customers buy, not just what they buy. Her global perspective and analytical mindset help founders identify churn before it happens, build smarter lifecycle flows, and create experiences that keep customers coming back.

Whether you’re a CPG founder tired of chasing acquisition or an operator ready to make retention your growth engine, Sonja shares a masterclass in turning customer behavior into predictable, sustainable revenue.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:33] Intro
• [01:05] Helping brands turn retention into revenue
• [01:30] Connecting communication to customer longevity
• [02:08] Identifying patterns behind consumable success
• [02:55] Leveraging analytical thinking for stronger retention
• [04:00] Educating first-time buyers before selling again
• [05:25] Helping buyers at their exact stage of the journey
• [07:11] Designing flows that nurture interest into action
• [07:45] Applying retention rules across every direct channel
• [08:18] Stay updated with new episodes
• [08:29] Spotting churn before customers disappear
• [10:19] Timing recovery emails before customers drift away
• [11:39] Resolving customer issues before they walk away
• [12:27] Setting triggers that match real customer behavior
• [14:16] Focusing on results-driven storytelling for CPG
• [15:26] Evaluating why memberships don’t always translate
• [16:36] Building loyalty from your first 100 buyers
• [17:07] Layering time data to reveal true retention health
• [19:08] Applying psychology to make retention truly work

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Helps Ecommerce brands with retention marketing retentiontheory.com/
• Follow Sonja Grasser linkedin.com/in/sonjagrasser

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Kirsten Maitland is the co-founder of Rebel Cheese, an award-winning Austin-based vegan cheese brand backed by Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban. A former U.S. Navy veteran and Microsoft agile coach, Kirsten brings her background in tech innovation to reimagine plant-based dairy through traditional cheesemaking techniques and smart Ecommerce strategy.

After leaving a stable four-day tech career to pursue purpose over comfort, Kirsten built Rebel Cheese from a six-bottle wine fridge experiment into a nationally recognized brand featured by The New York Times. From launching DTC overnight during COVID to scaling through broken shipments and real-time customer feedback, her journey reveals what it takes to grow authentically while staying true to your values.

Whether you’re building a mission-driven CPG company or refining your feedback loop before scaling, Kirsten shares a masterclass in transforming curiosity and conviction into sustainable growth.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:03] Intro
• [00:55] Bringing tradition into modern food innovation
• [01:30] Turning passion for food into a scalable concept
• [02:34] Validating a product through emotional connection
• [03:33] Turning crisis into new growth channels
• [04:44] Fixing packaging with help from early partners
• [06:03] Shipping curated boxes to customers’ doors
• [07:00] Selling out with zero ads or paid marketing
• [08:00] Turning online orders into lasting connections
• [08:58] Delaying advertising to protect cash flow
• [10:21] Stay updated with new episodes
• [10:31] Learning to sustain momentum after viral moments
• [12:24] Studying investor dynamics before pitching
• [12:53] Episode Sponsors: Electric Eye & Heatmap
• [15:32] Launching fast to gather real customer feedback
• [18:01] Leveraging AI agents to save time and money

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Plant-based cheese you'll actually love rebelcheese.com/
• Follow Kirsten Maitland linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Beau Wangtrakuldee is the founder and CEO of AmorSui, a science-backed medical supply brand bringing innovation, safety, and sustainability to the $58B PPE industry. A former scientist turned entrepreneur, Beau is reimagining protective apparel with clean chemistry, circular materials, and design that finally puts the user first.

After a lab accident exposed the flaws in traditional PPE, Beau built AmorSui to bridge the gap between safety, comfort, and sustainability: offering PFAS-free, recyclable, and biobased alternatives trusted by global brands like Thermo Fisher Scientific and Benco Dental.

Whether you’re building a mission-driven ecommerce brand or rethinking your product’s lifecycle, Beau shares a masterclass in turning real-world problems into scalable innovation, proving that circular design and commercial growth can coexist.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:30] Intro
• [01:01] Building comfort and safety into every product
• [01:46] Creating a business from personal experience
• [04:37] Designing products people actually reuse
• [06:10] Validating ideas through real user stories
• [08:12] Raising capital before manufacturing begins
• [08:47] Allocating funds beyond first production run
• [09:45] Navigating minimum order quantity realities
• [10:32] Launching pre-sales with finished prototypes
• [11:04] Stay updated with new episodes
• [11:14] Balancing safety standards with speed to market
• [12:37] Episode Sponsors: Electric Eye & Heatmap
• [15:18] Marketing through word-of-mouth momentum
• [17:01] Refining targeting through early experiments
• [19:00] Discovering growth through customer feedback
• [21:34] Testing demand before building logistics
• [23:17] Learning quickly by shipping imperfect products
• [24:09] Focusing every decision on the end user

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Modern PPE brand that protects people and the planet amorsui.com/
• Follow Beau Wangtrakuldee linkedin.com/in/beauwangtrakuldee
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!