Customer Growth Sessions

"Hair care in general is a very froofy category, but most people I know are kind of silly and fun to be around. So I wanted the brand to take the hair care part very seriously, but not the customer."  — Kate Assaraf In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, host Pat Ahern speaks with Kate Assaraf, Founder and "Chief Detangler" at dip, about building a fast-growing, plastic-free hair care brand without relying on paid advertisement channels like Meta, TikTok, or Instagram ads. Kate details how dip was born out of frustration with poor-performing sustainable products and how intense customer research—specifically analyzing competitor negative reviews—informed formulas that solve real problems, such as daily washing for active lifestyles and instant detangling. The conversation explores strategic distribution and margin defense for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands during difficult economic conditions. Kate explains why dip avoids mass retail and Amazon in favor of independent refill shops, protecting local microeconomies and store partnerships. She also shares her non-discounting strategy, revealing how replacing traditional Black Friday price cuts with high-value, high-ticket gifts (such as premium hammocks or razors) safeguards brand equity and maintains store trust. Want to explore dip's plastic-free salon-grade products or locate a stockist near you? Visit dipalready.com or connect with Kate and the brand across social channels:   Instagram: @dipalready TikTok: @dipalready LinkedIn: Kate Assaraf Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.  

"The search engine results pages have changed quite a bit, which means click-through rates are all over the place depending on the type of keyword you're going after." — Jeff Oxford In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, host Pat Ahern speaks with Jeff Oxford, Founder and CEO of 180 Marketing, to analyze the shifting landscape of e-commerce SEO in 2026 and beyond. Jeff breaks down how search engine results pages (SERPs) have transformed from traditional blue links to fragmented environments dominated by AI Overviews, organic and paid shopping grids, Reddit discussions, and third-party listicles. Rather than seeing search volume decline, Jeff highlights how consumer buying behavior has dispersed across multiple secondary platforms, requiring brands to broaden their search strategy beyond just ranking on Google. The conversation dives deep into actionable strategies for secondary search visibility, including Reddit outreach, editorial listicle placements, and Google Shopping optimization. Jeff explains the recent moderation shifts on Reddit and shares a white-hat approach to partnering with active subreddit power users. He details how brands can pitch editorial teams at major publications by leveraging affiliate networks (like Awin or Impact) and providing pre-formatted pro/con lists to eliminate publishing friction. Additionally, Jeff reveals internal data showing click-through rates for number-one organic positions averaging around 3.3% for commercial terms, emphasizing the necessity of optimizing Google Merchant Center feeds and product reviews to capture prime shopping grid real estate.   Want to explore 180 Marketing's research or test your store's AI search footprint? Try the 180 Marketing Free AI Visibility Checker or visit 180marketing.com to explore their full library of e-commerce SEO studies. You can also connect with Jeff Oxford directly on LinkedIn. Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.  

"The most impactful metric that has been shown is brand loyalty... You have people that 5x their lifetime value for a customer because of your sustainability efforts." — Maricruz Carrillo, PhD In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, host Pat Ahern sits down with Maricruz Carrillo, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of SUNMUD, to explore the real business case behind corporate sustainability, strategic brand partnerships, and the dynamics of navigating a company with co-founders. Maricruz details how SUNMUD built a high-performance, 100% plastic-free mineral sunscreen brand that integrates environmental impact directly into its customer experience. She shares how embedding 1% for the Planet contributions and optional coral restoration add-ons at checkout dramatically boosts customer retention, reorder rates, and post-purchase email engagement.   The conversation dives deep into why direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands should prioritize partnerships early in their growth journey. Maricruz outlines how partnering with local ocean conservation non-profits, surf brands, and major institutions like the San Diego Safari Park drives email list growth, high-converting social content, and word-of-mouth authority without burning capital on traditional paid ads. She also offers a candid look into founder relationships, detailing how she and her two co-founders navigate conflict, maintain clear operational roles, and utilize structured milestones to scale the business together. To follow SUNMUD's journey toward B Corp certification, check out the SUNMUD YouTube Channel. Want to learn more about SUNMUD and how Maricruz is pioneering sustainable sun care? Visit sunmudsunscreen.com or connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIn.   Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.

"Digital PR is essentially driving authority and supporting SEO efforts for various different brands... increasing their domain rating so that they're seen as being more authoritative in the eyes of Google..." — James Roach In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, host Pat Ahern sits down with James Roach, Head of Digital PR at Honchō, to unpack the evolving landscape of digital PR, link building, and brand authority. James outlines the primary pillars of modern digital PR—moving beyond old-school "hero" campaigns toward agile trend campaigns, real-time reactive PR, and strategic inclusions in high-converting editorial listicles. He shares how e-commerce brands can leverage first-party sales data, targeted surveys, or open-source datasets to craft compelling stories that journalists naturally want to cover. The conversation dives deep into practical campaign execution, exploring how to properly pitch journalists without resorting to mass email blasts, why product launches often require a non-direct "around the house" content strategy to pass link equity, and how to get your products featured in top editorial roundups. James also breaks down campaign timelines and realistic expectations for earned media coverage. Want to learn more about Honchō and how James helps brands build domain authority and organic search visibility? Visit honchosearch.com or connect with him directly via LinkedIn or email at [email protected]   Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.

In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, Pat Ahern breaks down one of the most persistent marketing questions for e-commerce brands: Should you invest in SEO or PPC? Pat explores the financial and operational realities of building customer acquisition channels, explaining why e-commerce brands below $1 million in annual revenue should almost always direct 100% of their customer acquisition budget toward PPC (such as Meta Ads and Google Ads) rather than splitting funds with SEO. He details why SEO requires a baseline investment of $4,000+ per month to yield real results, contrasting the short-term cash flow necessity of PPC with the compounding, long-term ROI of search engine optimization.   The episode outlines clear revenue benchmarks for scaling marketing spend. Pat explains how brands at $500k in annual revenue can lay groundwork with a one-time AEO/SEO foundation without starving their immediate sales, while brands reaching $1 million to $2 million should begin shifting profits into ongoing SEO strategies. By $5 million in annual revenue, SEO should be a major revenue driver protecting the business against diminishing returns (ROAS erosion) and audience saturation on paid ad platforms.   For a complete breakdown of timelines, revenue formulas, and budgeting strategies, check out Intergrowth's full guide on SEO vs. PPC for Ecommerce. Want to learn more about Intergrowth and how Pat and his team help businesses build sustainable customer acquisition engines? Visit intergrowth.com or connect with Pat directly on LinkedIn and Instagram.   Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.    

"Nothing bad comes from getting off!" — Viv Conway In this episode, Viv Conway, Co-Founder of Girls Get Off, shares a practical framework for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands navigating customer acquisition within highly regulated and taboo industries. Viv details how she and her team launched a sexual wellbeing brand for women during the 2020 pandemic, scaling the company without relying on traditional paid ad channels like Facebook or Google Shopping. From overcoming advertising restrictions through high-intent search engine optimization (SEO) and expert-led blog content to turning discreet shopping experiences into an extension of self-care, she outlines the core strategies for building trust and brand equity. We also discuss community management and organic social media strategy, examining how a 40,000+ member private Facebook group and an active Instagram presence drive real-time customer feedback, unique first-party data, and viral content hooks. Viv shares her approach to founder-led content, highlighting how putting her face behind a taboo brand normalizes the conversation, breaks pattern recognition on social feeds, and builds an irreplaceable brand moat. The conversation extends into creative PR strategies, detailing how to utilize cost-per-click and cost-per-acquisition media models, jump on trending news angles, and address fundamental customer objections around discreet shipping and billing privacy. To learn more about personal branding and putting yourself behind your business, check out our Traci Stumpf interview on personal branding. You can also explore Linkby for cost-per-click press features, or read about Intergrowth's Expert Commentary PR process to see how we build high-authority press mentions. Want to learn more about Girls Get Off and how Viv helps women embrace sexual wellness? Visit girlsgetoff.com or connect with her on Instagram, Instagram (Personal), and LinkedIn. Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.

"Google has stated very explicitly that they are not against AI-generated content. What Google and the other search engines are really against is having a massive amount of low-quality content that they have to sift through..." — Pat Ahern   In this episode of Customer Growth Sessions, host Pat Ahern delivers a solo deep dive into a question top-of-mind for brand leaders: should you use AI to create content for your website? Timestamps from late August 2026 highlight recent developments, including Claude adding watermarks to AI-generated text and visual outputs, sparking renewed debate around search engine penalties. Pat clarifies Google’s official stance, explaining that search algorithms target low-quality "AI slop" rather than AI-assisted production. He outlines the risks established sites face when relying heavily on unrefined LLM outputs, including lost brand voice, surface-level information, and catastrophic organic traffic drops.   The episode details actionable strategies for incorporating AI without sacrificing standards. Pat outlines Intergrowth’s internal Claude-assisted workflow, demonstrating how combining subject-matter expert audio transcripts with structured prompts, multi-step outlines, and extensive human editing creates high-performing content that upholds brand integrity. Whether you are considering an AI-driven strategy or refining your existing publishing workflow, this episode provides a realistic blueprint for balancing speed with content quality. Explore Intergrowth's AI Content Decision Flowchart to determine if AI content fits your business goals, and read their Claude Content Generation Workflow & LLM Text File Case Study to see their full AI-assisted framework in action.   Want to learn more about Intergrowth and how Pat and his team scale organic search visibility? Visit intergrowth.com or connect with Pat directly on LinkedIn and Instagram.   Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!   Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.  

"You have to look at what your AOV is, you look at what your CPAs are... at the end of the day, I would rather incentivize our own customers and incentivize the customers that people are referring than pay Meta or Google." — Andrew Costaris   In this episode, Andrew Costaris, VP of Digital over at Partners Coffee, shares a practical framework for CPG and consumable brands looking to transition from traditional B2B operations to a thriving, high-retention direct-to-consumer (DTC) model. Andrew explains how Partners Coffee rapidly pivoted its business model during the 2020 pandemic shutdowns, migrating to Shopify and leveraging owned marketing channels to turn physical retail presence into sustainable e-commerce growth. From building out early email and SMS collection flows to establishing an ecosystem where physical packaging and retail shelf placement drive repeat online orders, he outlines the critical strategies required to grow a brand in a crowded market. We also discuss the operational mechanics of customer retention, exploring why consumable brands under $40 must rely on subscriptions, low-friction checkout experiences, and generous customer-led referral systems rather than relying strictly on first-order ad profitability. Andrew shares his practical, no-fluff approach to tech stacks, detailing why less is more when eliminating site friction, how physical cafe locations serve as authentic brand billboards, and why real customer word-of-mouth far outperforms paid influencer campaigns or forced AI customer service automation.Tools discussed on the podcast include Shopify, Klaviyo, Okendo, and Attentive. Want to learn more about Partners Coffee and how Andrew helps drive digital growth and customer experience? Visit partnerscoffee.com or connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to explore specialty coffee, retention strategies, and e-commerce innovation.   Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.

"Before you can fix operational issues, you have to really take time to make that self-assessment... because you can't scale under operational messiness." — Curtis Luke In this episode, Curtis Luke, Founder of Niche-Marc Consulting and Senior Executive Advisor at Knight Eagle Consulting (KECS), breaks down a practical framework for identifying and overcoming the founder-led bottlenecks that cap business growth. Curtis explains why small business leaders often become their own biggest ceiling by clinging to micromanagement, avoiding delegation, and creating operational bottlenecks out of fear or a lack of trust. He outlines why a thorough self-assessment—tracking decision patterns, approval wait times, and recurring problems—is essential for uncovering psychological barriers before attempting to scale.   We also discuss the practical steps leaders can take to break these bad habits, including executing a 10-day self-audit, conducting candid off-site reviews, and bringing in independent third-party advisors to gather unbiased employee feedback. The conversation extends into building high-trust leadership teams and strong gatekeepers, showing how active listening, humility, and clear delegation paths empower managers and prevent founder burnout. Want to learn more about Curtis Luke and how he helps companies audit leadership character, streamline workflows, and fix operational bottlenecks? Visit hellocurtis.us or connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more about executive strategy and business growth consulting.   Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!   Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.

In this episode, host Pat Ahern takes the mic for a solo deep dive into a crucial Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and search strategy: Large Language Model (LLM) sentiment analysis. Pat explores why simply showing up in AI search queries isn't enough, explaining how being mentioned negatively or having key details misunderstood by LLMs can actively hurt brand growth. He breaks down the shift from quantitative visibility tracking to qualitative analysis, introducing a four-part framework brands can run to audit and improve how AI systems perceive, evaluate, and recommend their products. From conducting brand association and factual accuracy checks to executing negative sentiment analysis across third-party review platforms and Reddit, Pat outlines actionable steps to correct outdated information and protect your digital reputation. The conversation extends into product recommendation audits, detailing how to utilize query fanout analysis, refine niche positioning across social channels, and optimize website FAQ structures so LLMs can easily parse and surface your core value proposition.   Prefer the written version? Pat breaks down LLM Sentiment Analysis on the Intergrowth blog as well. Read more about Expert Commentary PR and learn more about query fan out analysis to deepen your understanding of AEO strategies. Want to learn more about Intergrowth and how Pat and his team help businesses scale through SEO, AEO, and content marketing? Visit intergrowth.com or connect with Pat on LinkedIn and Instagram to explore growth frameworks, articles, and agency services. Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Interested in seeing how Intergrowth could help you grow your business? Head over to intergrowth.com/cgs to book a complimentary strategy session with our team.