The Brand Building Podcast

We just hosted one of the most fun and valuable events I’ve done in my entire career — a private ecommerce experience with Klaviyo during the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale.

In this episode, I break down exactly how we put together “From the Inbox to the Tee Box,” why we focused on a small, high-level group of founders and operators, and what actually happens when you get the right people in the same room — without pitching, without pressure.

This wasn’t about selling. It was about building real relationships with people who are actively scaling bran...

I just got back from one of the most valuable marketing events I’ve been to in a long time — a private telehealth conference in Miami hosted by some of the top direct response operators in the world.

In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what I saw, what I learned, and why I believe telehealth is becoming one of the biggest opportunities right now for ecommerce brands, media buyers, and anyone in the paid ads space.

We’re talking real numbers, real systems, and what it actually takes to scale in this space — from acqui...

Big update—Bread Loaf is now an official partner of Applovin

Over the past few months, we’ve been deep in the platform testing their Axon product, and the results have been strong. In this episode, I break down what Applovin actually is, how programmatic advertising works, and why this channel is becoming a serious opportunity for ecommerce brands.

We cover the difference between paid social, search, and programmatic, why programmatic has historically been a black box, and how Applovin is changing that with a conversion-focused approach built for DTC.

If you’re a foun...

We just got back from Expo West 2026, and this was easily one of the biggest years yet. In this episode, Sarah and I break down the top trends we’re seeing in health and wellness—from the explosion of creatine (especially for women) to the continued dominance of hydration, clean ingredients, and premium supplements.

We also get into what brands are doing differently, where the CPG space is heading, and what opportunities we see over the next 12–24 months.

If you’re building a brand, investing in wellness, or just want to stay ahead of where the indu...

Mark breaks down a whirlwind 24-hour trip to Denver to meet with the Klaviyo team in person — and why he's never been more fired up about Breadloaf's 10-year partnership with the platform.

He walks through the case studies they presented, including West Coast Saw (a Klaviyo referral now crushing it across full funnel), Key.co's migration from Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and Axle Advanced's journey from MailChimp to Omnisend to Klaviyo — complete with a 91/100 deliverability score through the holiday season. Plus, a recap of dinner with Brad Miller from Yo Colorado, who just landed their National Sea Patrol coll...

In this episode, I sit down with fashion industry veteran Jon Levine, founder of Apparel Advisors, to break down what it really takes to build and scale a fashion brand today.

Jonn has been in the apparel industry for decades—building a $40M brand, working with private equity-backed companies, and now advising emerging and established fashion brands. We talk about the biggest mistakes brands make with positioning, why so many companies struggle with identity, and how founders should actually think about brand strategy in today’s DTC landscape.

We also dive into how AI is chan...

If you’re in DTC and serious about scaling, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

I sat down with Jana, our Head of Growth Partnerships at Bread Loaf, to break down what actually drives growth behind the scenes—how real relationships turn into revenue, when it actually makes sense to hire an agency, and why timing in business is everything.

We get into the reality of sales cycles, what most brands get wrong about scaling, and how the best operators think about retention, paid media, and long-term partnerships.

Plus, we tou...

In this episode, we explore how Eikona is reinventing lifecycle marketing with AI-powered adaptive creative. 

Imagine emails and ads that change for every single customer — in real time. Nir, Eikona founder, breaks down the future of personalization, the tech behind it, and why this shift will transform how brands grow.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

Connect with Nir: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nir-zvi-weingarten/ 
Check out Eikona: https://www.e...

Black Friday 2025 just became the biggest online shopping day in history.

In this episode I break down the key numbers the standout trends and the strategies that helped brands win.

From Shopify’s six point two billion day to Klaviyo’s one billion in attributed sales this is a fast look at what really happened and what operators should focus on for 2026.

In this special Thanksgiving episode, I wanted to slow things down and simply say thank you. This is the busiest and most stressful week of the year for anyone in e-commerce and it has been that way for me for almost sixteen straight Black Fridays. It is long nights, constant changes, nonstop pressure, and a level of expectation that only founders, operators, and agency teams truly understand.

But Thanksgiving has always been the one moment inside all that chaos where I take a breath and reflect. It is a day grounded in gratitude, presence, and shared meals...

In this episode I am breaking down one of the most misunderstood and overlooked parts of retention marketing. Email deliverability.

Email used to be simple. You set up an ESP, write a calendar, launch a few campaigns, and revenue shows up. That world is gone. Between iOS changes, Google and Yahoo protocol updates, and rapidly evolving inbox rules, email deliverability has become one of the most important and most complex levers in all of e-commerce.

And as we head into 2026, any brand that does not fully understand deliverability is risking the entire channel.

...

In this episode, I am sharing something deeply personal and easily the most life changing experience of my entire life.

Two weeks ago, my wife and I welcomed our baby girl, Sienna Rose, into the world. It has been emotional, overwhelming, and completely magical, and it happened right in the middle of the busiest season of the year for me, my clients, and my agency.

This is not just a new dad update. It is a perspective shift for operators, founders, brand owners, tech partners, and agency leaders everywhere. Because nothing prepares you for how...

After months of setbacks, broken engines, and bad service, Mark finally got his 28-foot Boston Whaler running—and in the process, learned a powerful lesson about business: cutting corners with the wrong partner always costs more in the long run.

This episode dives into why cheap talent, fast timelines, and unrealistic promises destroy more projects than anything else - and why Bread Loaf’s clients keep coming back after learning that lesson the hard way.

Episode Description:

In this episode of The Brand Building Podcast, Mark Milutin breaks down one of the biggest updates Klaviyo has rolled out in years - the brand-new Instagram integration powered by Gatsby.ai.

For the first time ever, brands can now collect email and SMS subscribers directly from Instagram comments and DMs - no Zapier, no broken APIs, no compliance headaches. Just native, first-party data collection inside Klaviyo.

Mark dives deep into:

In this episode of the Brand Building Podcast, Mark Milutin (Founder of Bread Loaf) breaks down why pre-sales are one of the most dangerous traps for modern DTC brands—and why he absolutely hates them.

From diluted launches and spiked return rates to broken marketing funnels and lost momentum, Mark shares firsthand experiences from real clients and the brutal downstream effects pre-orders have on performance metrics like CAC, conversion rate, and retention ROI.

If you’re running fashion, footwear, or premium products in the DTC space—and think pre-sales are a shortcut to early revenue—this epi...

The game has changed — creative alone won’t save your brand in 2025. 

In this breakdown of Klaviyo’s KBOs 2025 event, I share the biggest takeaways shaping the future of e-commerce and retention marketing. 

From AI-driven automation and multi-channel orchestration to WhatsApp integrations and real-time data insights — this is where the industry is heading.

If you’re a Shopify brand, an agency operator, or just obsessed with growth, this episode is your roadmap to staying ahead.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Di...

Klaviyo just dropped a game-changing WhatsApp integration — and it’s about to completely transform how brands retain customers globally. 🌍

In this video, I break down exactly how Klaviyo’s WhatsApp feature works, why it’s a massive unlock for international DTC brands, and how to build and monetize your WhatsApp list the right way.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

Check out my FREE $4,000 Brand Retention Audit: https://www.youtube...

What if your entire marketing and support team ran on AI? 🤯
In this video, I break down Klaviyo’s brand new AI Agents — the Marketing Agent and Customer Agent — and show you how they’re completely redefining what it means to automate your email, SMS, and customer experience.

You’ll learn:
🚀 How Klaviyo’s AI Agents actually work (and what they can do)
💡 Real examples of how brands are using them right now
⚠️ The top 3 mistakes people make when turning on AI in Klaviyo
🔐 How to safely adopt AI without losing control of your brand voice

I...

What if you could run your entire email marketing operation just by talking to AI? 

In this video, I’m breaking down Klaviyo’s brand-new MCP Server integration with Claude AI — what it is, how it works, and why it’s about to completely change how we run campaigns.

If you’re using Klaviyo or Shopify, this is one you don’t want to miss. 

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

In this video, I’m breaking down Klaviyo Analytics — the hidden engine behind your revenue. Most brands send emails, run flows, and optimize campaigns without truly knowing what’s driving results or bleeding them dry.

I’ll show you how to use customer analytics, product insights, and attribution models inside Klaviyo to turn your data into action. 

If you’re on Shopify and serious about scaling through lifecycle and retention marketing, this deep dive is for you.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 D...

In this video, I’m breaking down 7 proven strategies to grow your email and SMS list in 2025 so you can crush Q4 revenue without relying on discounts or overspending on ads.

At Breadloaf, we help Shopify brands scale through lifecycle and retention marketing, and I’ll show you the exact list growth tactics we run every day for our partners using Klaviyo, Postscript, and Attentive. From popups that actually convert, to sweepstakes, product launch lead gen, and back-in-stock flows—this is the playbook for building the one asset you truly own: your list.

If you’re serio...

In this episode, I share a boots-on-the-ground recap from Klaviyo’s K:BOS in Boston—why the energy mattered, how Klaviyo is evolving from ESP to full CRM, and what operators (brand and agency) need to do right now to win Q4 and 2026.

If you’re a Shopify brand and want a Klaviyo CRM + omnichannel gameplan for Q4 and 2026 (WhatsApp, RCS, direct mail, social capture, AI workflows), click the link below to lear more about my retention audit:

https://youtu.be/A_tywPkNcqY?si=JBA4pc6sy9KBnpHJ

Timestamp guide

00:00 Intro, why K...

If you wait until Black Friday to plan Black Friday, you’ve already lost. In this video, I’m handing you the exact BFCM campaign calendar we use at Breadloaf to help our clients crush Q4. 

I’ll walk you through every channel — email, SMS, push, and direct mail — and show you what to send, when to send it, and how to maximize revenue all the way through December. 

Steal my playbook, drop it straight into your calendar, and make this your biggest Q4 yet.

Q4 for September & October: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Stop waiting until November to win Q4 — the brands that dominate Black Friday and Cyber Monday start in September and October. In this video, I break down the exact playbook we use at Breadloaf to front-load demand, grow your subscriber list, and set your Shopify or CPG brand up for massive Q4 results.

You’ll get actionable tips on:

Budget splits and top-of-funnel strategy

Offers, popups, and subscriber capture

Re-engagement campaigns and sweepstakes

Email deliverability and list hygiene

Omnichannel growth with push and direct mail

KPIs...

iOS 26 is here, and it’s changing the game for email and SMS marketing. Your messages could be getting filtered, your tracking stripped, and your campaigns crushed if you don’t adapt. 

In this video, I break down exactly what’s changed, why it matters, and the 5 strategies I’m using to future-proof retention marketing in 2025 and beyond. If you’re serious about keeping your campaigns alive, this one’s for you.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com...

I just got back from the Meta Advertiser Summit in LA, and the message was loud and clear:

If you’re only running a few ads in Q4, you’re leaving money on the table.

In this video, I’m breaking down the exact Q4 creative playbook that Meta wants us to run—hooks, formats, creator strategy, testing cadence, and more.
 
Plus, I’ll share the stats they dropped on stage and give you my 14-day sprint plan so you can execute this right now. Let’s win Q4 together.

✅ Elevate your br...

In this episode of The Brand Building Podcast, I share the inside story of a record-breaking campaign that delivered a client’s first million-dollar month—plus a $1M day and even a $1M hour.

I'll break down the fundamentals that made this possible. If you’re serious about e-commerce growth, this episode shows how patience, planning, and execution can set new standards for success.

In this episode of the Brand Building Podcast, I breas down my 10-80-10 Method for using AI tools like ChatGPT to supercharge productivity in 2025.

Forget the overhyped influencer nonsense—this is a practical framework for agencies, marketers, and operators to streamline workflows, create better copy, scripts, and strategies faster. If you’re not leveraging AI the right way, you’re leaving massive growth on the table.

Texas just changed its SMS marketing laws — and if your DTC brand sends texts to Texas customers, you could face fines of $500–$1,500 per text if you’re not compliant. In this video, I break down the new Texas SMS law (TTCPA), what it means for your email & SMS marketing, and the exact steps you need to take now to stay safe. Don’t risk lawsuits or lost revenue — watch before you hit send.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markm...

Yotpo just announced they’re shutting down their Email + SMS platform — and if you’re still on it, your flows, automations, and subscriber list could be gone before Q4 even starts.

In this video, I break down:
✅ What Yotpo’s shutdown really means for DTC brands
✅ The best alternatives (Klaviyo, Omnisend, Attentive, Sendlane)
✅ A step-by-step migration plan to protect your list & deliverability
✅ How to avoid losing revenue during the switch

At Bread Loaf, we’ve migrated dozens of brands without losing a single deliverability point. For August, we’re offering free migrations + a reten...

In this episode, we sit down with Brandi, founder of Weston Heated Apparel, to hear how she turned a failed textbook business into an 8-figure seasonal brand loved by cold-weather customers across the country. 

From bootstrapping and building strong supplier relationships to launching heated gloves, jackets, and socks — Brandi shares the real story behind her success, her growth strategy, and how she avoids burnout by working with the seasons.

Check out Weston Apparel here: https://www.westonstore.com/ 

Connect with Brandi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandicasey/ 

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & S...

AI is changing email marketing forever. With Gmail’s Gemini, Apple Mail’s smart inbox, Outlook Copilot, and Yahoo’s AI summaries, your emails may never even get opened — not because of bad subject lines, but because AI already told your customers what’s inside. 

In this video, I break down how AI summarizers are disrupting email marketing, what it means for open and click rates, and how to adapt your strategy before your campaigns get buried.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your...

In this episode, we sit down with Louis Joseph, founder of Alps & Meters, a premium alpine sportswear brand blending old-world craftsmanship with modern utility. 

Louis shares his journey from corporate roles to launching a luxury ski apparel company built on timeless style, quality, and performance. 

Learn how he navigated startup life, inventory challenges, and the future of the ski industry.

Check out Alps & Meter: https://www.alpsandmeters.co.uk//?srsltid=AfmBOoqggoQRl0mVFbvjDG-hF2aSysqIKioSBQafMrPC3epIOuzvKS8Q&utm_source=AM-us 

Connect with Louis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-joseph-0b35281/ 

✅ Elevate your b...

How Two Friends Built a 7-Figure Bag Brand From Scratch | FTL Founders Interview

Meet Xander and Ryan, lifelong friends who turned a personal pain point into a thriving direct-to-consumer bag brand, FTL. 

In this episode, they share how they went from bootstrapping prototypes in their spare time to landing partnerships with pro athletes and major sports teams—all while leaving behind their corporate careers. Learn how authentic relationships, scrappy marketing, and relentless product development fueled their momentum.

Check out FTL: https://ftlbags.com/ 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ftlbags/ 
Connect with Xande...

Is your Klaviyo list bloated and underperforming? Dead emails are costing you serious money. In this video, I reveal a step-by-step “off-the-grid” email revival strategy that doesn’t even require Klaviyo. 

Learn how to fix deliverability, warm up a new domain, clean your list, and re-engage cold subscribers using high-deliverability ESPs like Mailchimp. Perfect for ecommerce brands serious about retention in 2025.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

Stuck at $1M in revenue with your Shopify brand? This video breaks down the exact differences between 7-figure DTC hustlers and 9-figure ecommerce giants like Jaded London and Dr. Squatch. 

From capital structure to ad strategy, team building, and ops — learn what it really takes to scale from $1M to $100M and beyond. If you're serious about growth, this is your roadmap.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

Breakdown of my FREE $...

If your eCommerce growth feels stuck, it’s probably not your ads or product. You’re likely leaving hundreds of thousands in revenue on the table from customers who’ve already said yes.

In this video I break down:

✅ Why most brands struggle with retention
✅ How our 28-point Brand Retention Audit works
✅ The exact process to unlock 20%+ more revenue in the next 90 days
✅ And how to get this $4,000 audit completely free if you qualify

We deep-dive into email deliverability, SMS flows, campaign strategy, creative, automation, push, direct mail, and more. You’ll walk aw...

From a garage in Utah to a 38,000 sq. ft. HQ — this is the wild story of how two hunters built BAKCOU, the e-bike brand that’s changing the game for backcountry hunters and outdoor adventurers. 

No investors. 
No plan. 
Just grit, faith, and a whole lot of hustle.

We talk product failures, brutal tariffs, big pivots — and why BAKCOU bikes are built like tanks.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-k...

From a kitchen table in Redondo Beach to generating $1B+ in revenue for brands like Star Wars, Coors Banquet, and Macy’s—these are the 9 lessons I learned building Bread Loaf over 9 years. 

Whether you're starting an agency or scaling your business, these insights are the roadmap I wish I had on day one.

✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com 

🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

In 2025, AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the engine behind every dollar spent in eCommerce. From ad creatives and video production to product photos, website design, analytics, and even SEO—AI is reshaping everything.

In this video, I break down how smart brands are using AI tools like Creatify AI, Triple Whale’s Moby, and more to scale faster, cut costs, and win in a competitive DTC landscape.

If you want to future-proof your brand and unlock the power of AI in your eCommerce strategy, this is the video you need to see.

✅ El...