Alex Gassner is the Director of Growth and Ecommerce at The Absorption Company, a highly absorbable supplement brand. In her role, she has led website optimization, overhauled email flows, and launched paid media campaigns. Before The Absorption Company, Alex was the Director of Ecommerce at Moon Juice.

Many brands struggle to stand out in a crowded market, especially when launching a new product in a competitive industry. Beyond product quality, companies must educate consumers, build trust, and create a compelling brand story to drive conversions. How can businesses balance brand awareness, performance marketing, and consumer education to fuel long-term growth?

With businesses struggling to communicate their true value to potential customers, growth and e-commerce marketer Alex Gassner emphasizes the importance of brand trust and communication. Companies should craft compelling messaging, strategically leverage organic and paid marketing, and build a long-term strategy rather than relying solely on promotional spikes. Well-crafted narratives can differentiate companies in a saturated market, and partnering with authentic influencers can build credibility, helping to reach new audiences.

In this episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani interviews Alex Gassner, Director of Growth and Ecommerce at The Absorption Company, about building a high-impact brand. Alex talks about the challenges of launching a brand with celebrity co-founders, the importance of balancing short-term revenue tactics with long-term brand building, and how to manage agency partners and external teams.

Greg Vetter is the Founder of Home Grown Brand Accelerator, which empowers emerging entrepreneurs. He is also the former CEO of Tessemae's, which he co-founded with his brothers to bring their mother’s salad dressing recipe to market. Under Greg’s leadership, Tessemae's became the #1 organic salad dressing brand in the refrigerated aisle space. He also co-founded Alta Fresh Foods, a company revolutionizing the salad dressing industry with innovative processes, and is the author of Undressed, which recounts the challenges of building Tessemae's.

Turning a homemade recipe into a national brand is a passionate entrepreneurial endeavor, but scaling it comes with unexpected challenges. From breaking into grocery stores to navigating supply chain crises and investor disputes, the path to long-term sustainability is rarely straightforward. How do you grow a business from scratch, build brand loyalty, and handle setbacks without losing everything?

Pioneering entrepreneur Greg Vetter went from cold-calling grocery stores with no formal company to building the #1 organic salad dressing brand. He emphasizes trusting your instincts, creating authentic connections with customers, and using grassroots marketing to establish a brand. Although Greg leveraged influencer partnerships and authentic, unified storytelling to build his brand, investor conflicts ultimately led to its downfall. By remaining positive and being transparent about the realities of entrepreneurship, Greg demonstrates the importance of resilience and adaptability.

In this episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani hosts Greg Vetter, Founder of Home Grown Brand Accelerator, about the highs and lows of building a business from the ground up. Greg shares his experiences with grassroots marketing, the impact of his brand’s major advertising campaigns, and lessons from scaling a product into a national brand.

Benjamin Davis is the Founder and CEO of TryNow, which has pioneered the “try before you buy” model to improve conversion rates for eCommerce brands. Under his leadership, TryNow has raised approximately $24 million in funding. Before TryNow, Benjamin founded an apparel brand and worked in private equity.

“Try before you buy” has transformed e-commerce by reducing customer acquisition costs and improving conversion rates. Many online shoppers hesitate to purchase due to uncertainty about fit, feel, or function, leading to abandoned carts and high return rates. How can companies remove friction from the online shopping experience and increase customer lifetime value?

According to “try before you buy” frontrunner Benjamin Davis, major retailers like Amazon have already seen success with similar programs, making “try before you buy” a proven strategy for growth. These programs can integrate seamlessly with Shopify and return management systems, minimizing operational disruptions for brands. While some companies worry about higher return rates, Benjamin maintains that faster return cycles improve inventory efficiency and that the additional revenue outweighs the costs.

In today’s Chief Advertiser episode, Samir Balwani speaks with Benjamin Davis, the Founder and CEO of TryNow, about how “try before you buy” is driving the future of e-commerce and customer acquisition. Benjamin discusses how to communicate this program’s benefits to company executives, the importance of reducing reliance on paid media, and how TryNow helps brands optimize profitability while enhancing the customer experience.

Joe Becker is the Director of Marketing at Stash Ventures, LLC, a vertically integrated cannabis company. In his role, he develops and executes strategic marketing initiatives for brands, including High Minded Cannabis and Timber and Cloud dispensaries. Joe has over 25 years of experience in creative design, marketing, and branding. Before Stash Ventures, he held roles such as Vice President of Marketing for Marolina Outdoor and Creative Director at Wolverine Worldwide and Carhartt Apparel.

With strict regulations and social and cultural barriers, marketing in the cannabis industry is challenging. Traditional digital advertising is limited, forcing brands to find alternative ways to engage customers and build brand awareness. How can cannabis companies market their products effectively while navigating these restrictions?

As the marketing director for a cannabis-focused company, Joe Becker understands the complexities of marketing in this space. Since platforms like Meta restrict cannabis-related ads, Joe and his team focus on word-of-mouth strategies, in-store experiences, and LinkedIn advertising. He also leverages mobile apps and loyalty programs to engage customers directly, encouraging push notification opt-ins and digital ordering to drive repeat purchases. By focusing on consumer education and premium retail experiences, companies can normalize cannabis use and attract new demographics seeking alternatives to alcohol.

Join Samir Balwani in this episode of Chief Advertiser as he interviews Joe Becker, the Director of Marketing at Stash Ventures, LLC, about brand differentiation in cannabis marketing. Joe explains how to balance a portfolio of brands while building a unified brand, how he forecasts emerging trends and regulatory shifts in cannabis marketing, and how to measure performance for your marketing efforts.

Kristina DiMatteo Fields is the Senior Director of Global Media and Operations at Hasbro, a leading toy and game company. Previously, she served as the Senior Director of Integrated Media for North America and the Senior Manager of Digital Marketing.

Toy marketing isn’t just about selling products; it’s about building meaningful connections that drive both brand loyalty and sales. With children influencing purchasing decisions and parents acting as the buyers, brands must craft campaigns that engage both audiences effectively. How can marketers balance brand awareness and performance-driven media?

Marketing expert Kristina DiMatteo Fields highlights the importance of aligning brand investment with data-driven performance strategies to maximize impact. By strategically allocating budgets, optimizing media campaigns, and embracing AI-driven efficiencies, brands can enhance engagement and scale their efforts effectively. A flexible and adaptive media strategy ensures brands remain top-of-mind while responding to shifting consumer behaviors.

In this episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani welcomes Kristina DiMatteo Fields, the Senior Director of Global Media and Operations at Hasbro, to discuss performance and brand marketing in the toy industry. Kristina shares insights on navigating dual-target audiences, leveraging AI for creative optimization, and ensuring media plans drive awareness and conversions in an increasingly digital-first world.

Stephen Racano is the Head of Growth at Geologie, a personalized skin, hair, and body care brand. In his role, he has delivered over 5x year-over-year growth for two consecutive years. Stephen has more than 15 years of digital marketing experience and provides online marketing, tag strategy, and management consulting services.

Building brand awareness in a socially driven market requires more than creating flashy logos and stunning designs. Instead, lifestyle brands must generate viral content that captures consumers’ attention and leaves a lasting impression. How can companies build their brands while remaining authentic and innovative?

Stephen Racano is an expert in integrating brand awareness with performance marketing campaigns. By producing humorous and engaging content, brands can connect with their audiences and differentiate themselves in the market. By leveraging TikTok to create memorable campaigns and leverage creators for authentic storytelling, you can amplify your message and remain top-of-mind when consumers make purchases.

In this episode of Chief Advertiser, Stephen Racano, the Head of Growth at Geologie, joins Samir Balwani to discuss Geologie’s brand awareness tactics in the skincare market. Stephen shares how the brand approaches omnichannel and retail expansion, how to measure conversion rates from brand awareness efforts, and how TikTok has dominated the social commerce landscape.

Peter Klein is the Vice President of Customer Growth and Retention at Ideal Living, a wellness tech company that provides pure water and clean air. With 20 years of experience in direct response marketing, he focuses on the customer experience, operations, and client services. Before Ideal Living, Peter was the Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Brand Incubation at Pangaea and the VP of Marketing and Chief Customer Officer at Golden Hippo®.

Understanding customer needs and driving retention is essential for DTC brand growth. How can companies use data and customer insights to improve retention while balancing long-term growth and operational efficiency?

Peter Klein, a customer experience strategist, focuses on creating strategies that enhance customer lifetime value and retention. By leveraging customer feedback, preempting potential concerns, and refining communication, Peter ensures a seamless experience that aligns with consumer expectations. He emphasizes the importance of testing and refining new products, collaborating with internal teams, and maintaining brand trust to sustain long-term customer relationships.

In the latest episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani hosts Peter Klein, the Vice President of Customer Growth and Retention at Ideal Living, to discuss customer retention strategies for DTC brands. Peter talks about obtaining leadership buy-in for new approaches, how he embraces and tests new technology, and advertising’s role in customer retention.

Katie Mack is the VP of Marketing and Ecommerce at eyebobs, a designer reading glasses, blue light glasses, and prescription eyewear company. As a marketing and sales leader, Katie has worked with global B2B and B2C brands and led client initiatives at creative agencies.

Creating scalable performance marketing strategies and generating brand awareness remains a top concern for many consumer brands. How can brands balance and measure these elements while maintaining relevance in the marketplace?

Sales and marketing leader Katie Mack executes marketing and awareness goals by building strong teams and facilitating collaboration with senior leaders. This requires maintaining clear communication and involving teams and leaders in campaigns from start to finish. Katie also emphasizes understanding consumer behavior and creating consistent messaging across all channels. When analyzing results from your efforts, assess short- and long-term metrics and compare them with competitors.

In the first episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani hosts Katie Mack, VP of Marketing and Ecommerce at eyebobs, to discuss strategies for brand awareness and performance marketing. Katie shares key marketing insights from her career, how she communicates marketing goals with leadership teams, and how she analyzes and integrates marketplace trends.