Customer Growth Sessions

In this episode, Michael McRae, co-founder of Two Dudes, shares how the brand is redefining men's skincare by challenging outdated stereotypes and making self-care more approachable through humor, authenticity, and purpose-driven branding. He discusses the strategies that helped Two Dudes stand out in a crowded market, from building a memorable brand identity to creating meaningful connections wit...

AI is changing the way consumers discover products online. In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern, Managing Partner at Intergrowth, shares practical strategies for helping ecommerce brands improve their visibility in Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI-powered search experiences. As more consumers turn to tools like ChatGPT for product recommendations, businesses need to ensure the...

Building a successful brand starts with understanding your audience. In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Noah Arias, CEO and co-founder of Bloomers, to discuss how the company has built a loyal customer base by serving an often-overlooked demographic with products focused on comfort, confidence, and inclusivity. Noah shares insights on marketing to older consumers...

Breaking into a tradition-bound industry requires more than just a great product; it demands the right business model. In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Brian Ellwood, the CFO and COO of Apex Ski Boots, to discuss the company’s dramatic evolution from a wholesale-reliant brand to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) hybrid success story. Brian opens up about stepping into...

What happens when a deeply personal family crisis meets a massive demographic shift? In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Jimmy Zollo, Co-Founder and CEO of Joe & Bella, to discuss how he pivoted from a successful career at Grubhub to building a purpose-driven adaptive apparel brand that is changing how we care for our aging loved ones. Jimmy shares key insight...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Brian Schmidt, co-founder of Hoop and former product leader at Trello and Atlassian. Brian shares his fascinating journey from working as a big law corporate litigator in New York City during the Madoff and housing crises to completely transitioning into the world of software development. The core of the discussion centers on na...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern speaks with Tino Dietrich, founder and CEO of SNYDER Golf USA, about his entrepreneurial journey from organizing local golf tournaments in Germany to expanding an international brand. Tino shares lessons learned from scaling a business across global markets, adapting operations for different customer needs, and navigating the logistics challen...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern speaks with Meng Wang, founder of Our Little Treasures , about her innovative approach to sustainable baby clothing and building a purpose-driven brand. Meng shares how the brand’s Trade-Up program encourages sustainability by giving parents a way to exchange outgrown baby clothes while reducing waste. She also discusses the logistics behind r...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern speaks with Stefanie “Steffi” Schmidt, founder of Fig for Kids, about her journey from corporate lawyer to e-commerce entrepreneur. Steffi shares how her mother’s cancer diagnosis led her family to rethink everyday products and ultimately inspired her to launch Fig for Kids, a children’s clothing brand focused on safer, thoughtfully made appar...

What if landing features in top-tier publications didn’t require a pricey PR agency? Pat Ahern reveals a smarter, more scalable approach to digital PR using expert commentary. Instead of chasing relationships, brands can earn consistent media coverage by identifying the citation sources that LLMs regularly pull from, such as industry publications and third-party review sites. By getting cited in t...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with James Kirkby from Kirkby Consulting to discuss the shift from Google and Amazon searches to conversational queries in LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini. James explains why establishing authority in these models now acts as a critical hedge against changing consumer behavior.   James breaks down the essential "levers" for LLM optimiza...

He built an $8.5M company in two years—then lost everything. Now he’s rebuilding from zero, on his own terms. In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Jeremy Petersen from Identity Pet Nutrition to discuss what it really takes to rebuild a company after failure—and why he’s choosing to do it without investors, big salaries, or shortcuts. Jeremy shares the story behind...

We welcome back Mason Duling for his second appearance to discuss the continued journey of building Almost Manic, a mental health-focused apparel brand rooted in storytelling and purpose. Mason shares insights from producing the *Beyond the Blur* docu-series, highlighting the connection between endurance racing and mental resilience. He also touches on the realities of content creation, the value...

What if landing features in top-tier publications didn’t require a pricey PR agency?  Pat Ahern reveals a smarter, more scalable approach to digital PR using expert commentary. Instead of chasing relationships or relying on unpredictable traditional PR methods, brands can earn consistent media coverage by responding directly to journalists' requests. We explore how platforms like HARO , MentionMat...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Krisztián Király from OptiMonk to discuss how e-commerce brands can unlock more value from existing traffic through smarter conversion rate optimization.   Krisztián breaks down what CRO really means beyond surface-level tactics, emphasizing the importance of both quantitative and qualitative data analysis. He shares practical s...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Annemarie von Firley, founder and CEO of Adventuretown Toy Emporium, to discuss her innovative approach to building a thriving educational toy business. Annemarie shares how she developed a unique internship system that allows her to effectively find, vet, and manage interns while creating meaningful real-world learning experien...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Benjamin du Haÿs from Baumier to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and how he built a company around the principles of self-management. Benjamin shares the story behind Baumier, a brand focused on thoughtfully designed bikes and a values-driven team culture. He explains the concept of a teal organization and how self-managemen...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, we sit down with Jonathan Spyralatos — better known as Jon the Freelancer — to unpack what it really takes to scale successfully with Meta ads. Jonathan breaks down the most common growth plateaus businesses face when running paid social campaigns and explains why increasing Average Order Value (AOV) is often the key lever for unlocking sustainable scal...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern sits down with Tricia Salcido, CEO of Softstar Shoes, to explore the company’s remarkable journey — and its recent transition to 100% employee ownership. Tricia shares her personal background and the story behind Softstar Shoes, a values-driven footwear company known for its craftsmanship and community roots. She walks through the strategic an...

In this episode, Pat Ahern sits down with Luciano Hernandez, owner and co-founder of Spirit Fire. Luciano shares his entrepreneurial journey, reflecting on a recent injury and recovery that tested both his resilience and mindset. He discusses the founding of Spirit Fire, key lessons learned in building the brand, and the importance of adaptability in entrepreneurship. The conversation explores eff...

In this episode, Mason Duling, Managing Director of Almost Manic and co-founder of TruColour Products, shares his journey building and scaling consumer brands. He breaks down big-box retail, EDI and ERP systems, marketing strategies that drive sell-through, and his latest venture, Almost Manic—a mental health–focused performance wear brand. To learn more about Mason Duling and his work at Almost M...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern speaks with Aya Shimura, founder of A.Shimus, a women’s workwear brand specializing in petite designs made in Japan. Aya shares her journey of building the brand, the value of Japanese craftsmanship, and the process of finding the right manufacturing partners. She also breaks down key considerations for emerging businesses, including minimum o...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern talks with Amber Caro, founder of Marketbite, about launching successful e-commerce sites. Amber shares when Shopify is the right choice, when to consider alternatives, and how early-stage brands can approach DIY builds. They also cover CRO, user experience, and when hiring an agency makes sense, plus how Marketbite supports growing brands wit...

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, we talk with Josh Nowak, co-founder of Breaking Free Industries, about his journey from incarceration to entrepreneurship. Josh shares how his experiences shaped his values, his belief in second chances, and his mission to support justice-impacted individuals. The conversation explores work–life balance, asking for help, accessing free business resource...

In this episode, we sit down with Josh Parks, founder of GhostFit Apparel, to explore the brand’s evolution from a direct-to-consumer (B2C) startup into a thriving B2B apparel business. Josh breaks down the realities of sales—how to handle rejection, push through setbacks, and stay consistent when prospects say no. He also shares practical strategies for winning conversations at trade shows, lever...