On this episode of DTC POD, join hosts Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios as they chat with Mike Xhaxho, creator of Waterboy, a popular TikTok account and brand. Mike shares his unexpected journey from starting a personal TikTok account to gaining millions of views and launching a successful product. We chat about the power of storytelling in his videos and the importance of using the right strategies to establish your brand online. We also talk about partnering with creators in consumer businesses, testing before scaling, and how to run effective pre-sales and product drops.We cover:1. Viral TikTok to launch brand2. Building a brand and community3. Creator as a Co-Founder4. Product development and variety5. TikTok, Meta, and Amazon for sales and growth6. Transparency & Authenticity with customers7. Retail expansion plansTimestamps02:13 Entrepreneur journey: finance, fitness, Amazon.05:06 TikTok success to product launch.10:01 Shopify site, simple SMS-targeted page.12:22 First successful video: personal story.15:43 Packaging issues, flavor change, delays.19:10 Similar background, variable metrics, creator role.23:02 TikTok, Meta ads, Amazon reliance.27:52 Ignored algorithm, focused on engagement.31:21 Hero product lacked variety, differentiation.33:17 Transparency, mistakes, cautious growth.36:18 Over-involved in sourcing, logistics.39:54 Product expansion, brand building, retail success.43:35 Waterboy.com bought after six-month pivot.Shownotes powered by CastmagicP.S. Join 15k founders and marketers & get our pod highlights delivered directly to your inbox with the DTC Pod Newsletter! Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more. Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter hereFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTok Mike Xhaxho - Co-Founder of WaterboyRamon Berrios - CEO of Trend.ioBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated