EP39: Is Direct to Consumer Dying? Hard Truths About eCommerce as a Business Model in 2025

In this episode of The ASOM Pod, hosts John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), Bryan McDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma's Pride), and Jimmy Kim (CEO dig into the ever-changing world of DTC businesses. Is the DTC model on life support, or is it just shedding its old skin and evolving? The crew doesn’t hold back as they unpack the biggest mistakes DTC brands keep making—like betting everything on paid ads, failing to diversify, and ignoring what customers actually want.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- The real reasons DTC brands are struggling (spoiler: it’s not just rising ad costs)- The danger of treating performance marketing like a religion- Why jumping into retail just because can backfire—hard- How to spot the “Know-It-All Founder” syndrome before it tanks your company- Lessons from brands that flopped (and how to avoid their fate)

If you’re running a DTC brand (or thinking about starting one), this episode is a must-listen.

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Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!

Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/

Nacelle — Transform your eCommerce store with AI-powered product recommendations that understand your customers’ actual behaviors, not just their purchases. Learn more at https://www.nacelle.com

Workspace6 — The best community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators. Why struggle alone? Other founders have already solved your biggest challenges. Learn more at https://www.workspace6.io

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00:00 Teaser Trailer

02:11 Welcome to the ASOM Pod

04:54 DTC: Is It Dying?

15:30 The Rise and Fall of Smile Direct Club

22:08 Casper: The Mattress Revolution

27:36 Falling Asleep in Public

28:19 13 Sins That Killed the DTC Business

30:44 Overconfidence in Branding

31:28 The Illusion of Customer Centricity

32:36 Data Company Pitfalls

33:36 Digital Media Addiction

34:23 Discount Addiction

34:34 Performance Marketing Religion

36:30 Retail FOMO

39:08 Tech Company Trap

42:32 Jumping Around Syndrome

43:06 Missed Financial Projections

45:31 Ignoring Parental Advice

46:38 The Know-It-All Founder

48:50 Guess That Business Game

51:54 Wrapping Up and Next Episode Teaser

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Follow Jimmy Kim at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykim

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykim

Follow Bryan MacDonald at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomaspride

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ct

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasalad

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasalad

Follow John Roman at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRoman

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromes

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmroman

Follow Amer Grozdanic at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanic

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanic

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanic

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanic

Contact us at hello@asompod.com for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!