This week on Morning Brew’s weekly podcast, Business Casual, we explore the inner workings of direct-to-consumer (DTC) retail with two of the best in the business: Zak Normandin, CEO of Iris Nova, and Nik Sharma, the strategist dubbed “The DTC Bro.”

But this episode is about so much more than every suitcase, toothbrush, and mattress company’s effort to become a “lifestyle” brand (even though we cover that, too).

We dive deep into the idea of conversational commerce—aka utilizing text messaging to create a more sincere 1-1 relationship with the consumer. 

Zak and Nik explain how an influx of venture capital funding in DTC retail can be a net negative on the space.

We explain what “cutting out the middleman” actually means for retailers and for customers.


After all, DTC accounts for 40% of e-commerce sales growth in consumer goods. So...safe to say this movement is going anywhere. Don’t you want to know the ins and outs from the brightest in the business?

Want to text Nik? You can reach him at 917-905-2340.