The Secret to Subscription-Only Success in the DTC Wellness Space With Adam Gillman
Release Date: 06/25/2025
How Fire Department Coffee Built a Mission-Driven Ecommerce Brand With Luke Schneider
Minds of Ecommerce
Luke Schneider is the Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned coffee company he launched in 2016 in Rockford, Illinois. A US Navy veteran and former firefighter-paramedic, Luke built the brand to combine his passion for high-quality coffee with a mission to support firefighters and first responders. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a small roasting operation into a nationally distributed brand. Luke also founded the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation, which provides aid and resources to sick or injured firefighters and first responders. In this...
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The 3 Big Affiliate Marketing Mistakes Ecommerce Brands Make (And How to Fix Them) With Greg Rollet
Minds of Ecommerce
Greg Rollett is the Head of Growth at Grommet, a product discovery platform that helps makers, inventors, and ecommerce brands showcase new and unique products to millions of shoppers. As an Emmy Award-winning producer, Greg has helped Grommet launch over 2,000 products in the past two years to a customer base of more than 2.5 million shoppers. Beyond his role in driving Grommet’s growth, he focuses on helping ecommerce brands with actionable strategies, particularly in partnership and affiliate marketing. In this episode… Affiliate marketing is often treated like a side project by...
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The Growth Strategy That Took Blinds.com from Startup to Billion-Dollar Exit With Jay Steinfeld
Minds of Ecommerce
Jay Steinfeld is the Founder and former CEO of Blinds.com, the world’s largest online retailer of window coverings, which was acquired by The Home Depot in 2014. Under his leadership, Blinds.com grew from a bootstrapped startup in his home to a billion-dollar enterprise, earning a reputation for innovation in ecommerce and technology-driven growth. Jay is also a Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Lead from the Core: The 4 Principles for Profit and Prosperity and the Entrepreneur in Residence at Rice University’s Graduate School of Business, where he shares business insights. ...
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How To Scale DTC, Amazon, and Retail Simultaneously With Chad Massura
Minds of Ecommerce
Chad Massure is the Founder and CEO of Rosy Soil, a company creating peat-free, carbon-negative potting soils designed to nurture both plants and the planet. He grew up gardening with his grandmother, a background that sparked his passion for sustainable horticulture and inspired him to reimagine what soil could be. Before founding Rosy Soil in 2022, he worked in the impact and food space, helping build ventures focused on sustainable food access and social good. Since then, Chad has guided the brand from a small startup to a rapidly scaling company while maintaining a strong commitment to...
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Scaling With Micro-Influencers: Lessons From Goorin’s Ambassador Strategy With Nicky Cutler
Minds of Ecommerce
Nicky Cutler is the B2B Marketing Manager at Goorin Bros., a premium hat and apparel company known for its cult-favorite line of trucker hats featuring embroidered animal patches. A seasoned marketer, Nicky led Goorin’s to over $1 million in affiliate revenue in two years by building and scaling Goorin’s ambassador and influencer programs. He previously worked across sales and retail leadership at Goorin and also launched his fashion brand earlier in his career. Blending brand building, community storytelling, and retail insight, he’s become known for driving culture-first marketing...
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Inside Saalt’s Playbook for High-Converting TikTok LIVE Sessions With Cherie Hoeger
Minds of Ecommerce
Cherie Hoeger is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saalt, a woman-owned period care brand known for its sustainable, reusable cups, discs, and leakproof underwear. With expertise in leveraging education-driven customer engagement and innovative sales channels, Cherie has led the company to become the #1 period care brand on TikTok Shop. Before Saalt, she worked as a technical writer for over a decade and launched multiple ecommerce ventures. As a social entrepreneur, she has steered Saalt’s mission to donate tens of thousands of cups and underwear globally to fight period poverty. In this...
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Scaling Brand Loyalty Through Social Impact: Lessons From Barefoot Wine With Michael Houlihan
Minds of Ecommerce
Michael Houlihan was the Co‑founder, President, and CEO of Barefoot Wine, an iconic brand that he and his partner Bonnie Harvey launched in a laundry room in 1986 with no money and no knowledge of the wine industry, and built one of the top wine brands in the US and in 28 countries. It was eventually acquired by E. & J. Gallo. A renowned writer, speaker, and consultant, Michael co-authored the New York Times best-selling book The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. He currently divides his time between mentoring entrepreneurs and working on...
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Newton’s Proven Playbook for Influencer Marketing Success With Aaron Zagha
Minds of Ecommerce
Aaron Zagha is the Chief Marketing Officer at Newton Baby, a company specializing in innovative, science-backed sleep products for babies and families. With a professional background in corporate finance and a data-driven marketing approach, Aaron oversees the brand’s marketing strategy, branding, and growth. He previously led international ecommerce operations for Teleflora. Under his leadership, Newton Baby collected over two million pounds of ocean-bound plastic and grew the brand through impactful influencer marketing. In this episode… Influencer marketing is one of the fastest-growing...
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Scaling Restricted Products With AppLovin: Lessons From cbdMD With Wade Brown
Minds of Ecommerce
Wade Brown is the Vice President of Marketing at cbdMD, a publicly traded company known for its CBD and cannabis product lines. He is a seasoned executive with expertise across ecommerce, B2B and B2C channels, digital advertising, and strategic partnerships. Wade has led marketing for restricted product categories, including CBD, THC beverages, firearms, and tactical gear, with leadership roles at SupplyKick, Inc Authority, NatureWise, among others. At cbdMD, he drives customer acquisition and creative ad strategies, spearheading the launch of the Herbal Oasis infused beverage line and...
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Building a Global Snack Brand Through Retail First With Hassan Alireza of The Daily Crave
Minds of Ecommerce
Hassan Alireza is the Founder and CEO of The Daily Crave, a California-based snack company that crafts better‑for‑you, non‑GMO, wholesome snacks sold worldwide. He launched the business in May 2012 with Veggie Chips and Sticks, which quickly gained traction in national retail chains. Under his leadership, the brand has expanded its lineup to include award-winning quinoa chips and, more recently, Crunchy Fries To-Go, which are made from high-quality non-GMO potatoes and are both gluten-free and kosher. Hassan’s vision focuses on delivering snacks that are delicious, crunchy,...
info_outlineAdam Gillman is the Co‑founder and President of Hiya Health, a children’s wellness company that reimagines kids’ vitamins by delivering sugar‑free, transparency‑focused nutrition through clean, science‑backed products. A seasoned entrepreneur, Adam has built and scaled consumer‑facing businesses in health and fitness, including CycleHouse. Motivated by his experience as a father, he teamed up with Darren Litt to disrupt the gummy vitamin market, creating Hiya’s signature chewables using real food ingredients and recycling‑minded packaging. Under his leadership, Hiya has grown into a fast‑scaling, subscription‑based brand that drew the attention of USANA, which acquired a controlling stake in late 2024.
In this episode…
Many brands invest heavily in influencer marketing, yet few see consistent, scalable growth. Despite having access to creators and content, campaigns may fall short due to misaligned messaging, lack of authenticity, or a focus on short-term wins. How do you build a long-term influencer strategy that converts and drives sustainable revenue?
Adam Gillman, an expert in DTC growth strategy, shares how his team scaled a wellness brand by rejecting surface-level influencer tactics and instead focusing on creator relationships rooted in trust, relevance, and storytelling. Adam emphasizes selecting influencers not by follower count but by credibility with niche audiences, especially in sensitive markets like children’s wellness. He advises brands to set clear creative guardrails while allowing influencers freedom in tone and delivery and to always tie campaigns to measurable, ROI-driven offers. By prioritizing authentic partnerships over ad placements and building a strong subscription model, Adam reveals a playbook for long-term customer retention and predictable growth.
In this episode of the Minds of Ecommerce podcast, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Adam Gillman, Co-Founder and President of Hiya Health, about scaling with influencer-led marketing. Adam shares how authenticity outperforms reach, why UGC isn’t always effective on-site, and how a subscription-only model lessened Hiya’s market risk. Other highlights include creator compliance strategies, performance-focused partnerships, and long-term brand loyalty.