The Brand Building Podcast

Klaviyo just rolled out one of the most important features for ecommerce brands right now — and almost no one is talking about it.
In this episode, I break down how Klaviyo’s new social integration (powered by their Gatsby acquisition) is changing the way we grow email and SMS lists in 2026. Instead of relying on popups and website traffic, you can now turn Instagram comments and DMs into high-quality subscribers — natively inside Klaviyo.
This is a massive shift toward first-party data and a more scalable way to build retention channels without depending on paid traffic or unstable third-party tools like ManyChat.
We’re already testing this at Breadloaf with ecommerce brands, using strategies like giveaways, value-based content, and automated DM flows to convert social engagement into email and SMS subscribers — and the early results are extremely promising.
If you’re running a Shopify brand, scaling paid ads, or trying to improve retention and ROAS, this is something you need to be paying attention to.
This is where list growth is heading.
If you want help implementing this for your brand, book a call with me and I’ll walk you through exactly how we’re using this to grow and scale ecommerce businesses.
✅ 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 

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 brands, running paid media, and pushing the limits in ecommerce.
If you’re an agency owner, ecommerce founder, or operator, this is the kind of strategy that compounds long-term — and it’s something we’re doubling down on moving forward.
✅ 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 

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 acquisition and creatives to retention, compliance, and high-LTV subscription models.
If you’re running an ecommerce brand, scaling ads, or looking for the next big opportunity in 2026, this is something you need to understand.
This event completely shifted how I’m thinking about the future of my business — and if you’re paying attention, it might do the same 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/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02 

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 founder, operator, or media buyer looking to scale beyond Meta and Google, this is a channel you should be paying attention to.
I also break down exactly how to get started, what creatives to use, and how we’re thinking about this as part of a modern multi-channel growth strategy in 2026.
✅ 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 

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 industry is going, 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 

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 collection in REI.
If you're an e-commerce brand thinking about Klaviyo or looking for what a real agency-platform partnership looks like, this one's for you.

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 changing content creation, the role of performance marketing in ecommerce, and why storytelling and brand heritage still matter more than ever.
✅ 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 Jon: jlevine@appareladvisors.com  Website: appareladvisors.com   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levinejon/ 

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 touch on what we’re seeing right now across the ecosystem with platforms like Klaviyo and where AI is starting to change the game.
✅ 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 Jana: jana@webakebread.com 

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.eikona.io/ 

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.