“We focused on making a skin care brand that would make the process of buying and using skin care itself simple, fun and engaging for men” @SLewkowict  #DTCPOD“We didn't hire a design firm. We didn't hire a marketing firm. We didn't hire content firms. We did everything ourselves.” @SLewkowict #DTCPOD“We did a better job ourselves in the end, just by learning the ins and outs and no one cares as much as you do.” @SLewkowict #DTCPOD“If we're trying something we've never done before our risk tolerance is high because it's worth it to find out if that works.” @SLewkowict #DTCPOD“Through iterating and talking to our customers and learning, we've been able to figure out exactly what they want and we've been able to continue that.” @SLewkowict #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:01] Sam introduces himself and Black Wolf[02:41] How Black Wolf became a business opportunity[03:59] The independent and affordable strategy that caused exponential brand growth[06:16] Elements of sophistication that added value to the brand[09:11] An unanticipated additional business opportunity that derived from Black Wolf[11:35] Prioritizing customer experience and marketing for sustained growth[13:46] The importance of doing it yourself[16:43] When to take risks with the marketing strategy[19:09] The company’s successful approach for achieving customer retention[23:03] Building a brand through customer feedback[25:17] Advice to direct-to-consumer brands[28:16] What’s next for Black Wolf and where to find the brand, and Sam LewkowictHow Black Wolf targeted an underserved audience and gained exponential growth Sam Lewkowict, Co-founder and CEO of Black Wolf, joins the POD to give some insight on the direct-to-consumer business’s growth, marketing strategy, and how the brand got started. Black Wolf is a cosmetic brand targeted towards men, focused on being simple and effective.Sam recognized that when it comes to skincare, men are often uninformed and left with limited options and ineffective products. To fill this gap, Sam and his brother developed a skincare brand for men and focused intently on customer feedback for further development.A unique approach was taken by handling finances and operations independently, without hiring an outside firm to help in design and marketing. All investments went into ads, and this strategy led to higher profits. Sam recognizes that no one cares about your brand as much as you do and that doing the hard work yourself is an opportunity to better yourself and your company. Sometimes in DTC, it pays to not payBlack Wolf stands out as an eCommerce skincare company that caters to men with simple, effective, and reliable products. The brand has experienced continuous sustained growth by prioritizing customer feedback to improve their products and marketing the brand themselves. Sam takes a unique approach to achieve successful growth by limiting costly outside parties and handling product, production, and promotion independently.  The brand has fostered further entrepreneurship opportunities through the founder's policy of doing it yourself.Sam recommends seeking advice from honest investors and pushing through adverse feedback if you truly believe in your brand. Stay tuned as Sam discusses how Black Wolf fostered customer retention and why doing it yourself may lead to higher profits. If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Black Wolf website: https://blackwolfnation.com/Sam Lewkowict’s twitter: https://twitter.com/SLewkowict