365 - From Clicks to Bricks: How Digitally Native Brands Go Massive in Retail

Martin Forde is the co-founder and partner at Highline Brands, a retail brokerage built for modern CPG and emerging brands. As the first sales hire at Dr. Squatch, he helped lead the brand's Walmart launch—which did over $50M in year one and set the foundation for a $1.5B exit to Unilever. In this episode of DTC Pod, Martin shares the full playbook for making the leap from DTC to retail. He breaks down how to evaluate which channels make sense, what buyers actually care about (hint: it's not your brand), how to pitch them, and how to choose the right brokerage partner. He also gets into the operational side: how deals are structured, why retail timelines take longer than most founders expect, and what actually drives velocity on shelf. Episode brought to you by Stord Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. When to consider retail (and when you're not ready) 2. Independent retail vs. major retailers: where to start 3. The old DTC-first playbook vs. the new hybrid approach 4. Understanding your consumer and choosing the right retailer 5. What buyers actually care about (hint: category growth, not your brand) 6. Three ways to reach buyers: cold outreach, inbound, or through a broker 7. Why and when to say no to a retailer 8. How brokers work: deal structures, retainers vs. commission, red flags 9. The 9-12 month timeline from first conversation to shelf 10. Merchandising and digital tactics that drive velocity on shelf Timestamps 00:00 Martin Forde’s background and experience in CPG 03:14 Launching and scaling brands into retail 04:20 Key lessons from Dr. Squatch retail rollout 07:30 Dr. Squatch’s early days and pent-up retail demand 09:39 Defining “why retail” and evaluating retail opportunities 10:38 Understanding independent retail channels and platforms 15:14 Retail supply chain basics: MOQs, case packs, and 3PLs 17:46 Testing and iterating supply chain through small-scale channels 18:56 Leveraging online marketplaces (Faire, Thrive, Bubble) 23:33 Deciding when to break into retail; timing and strategy 24:44 Comparing DTC-first and direct-to-retail playbooks 29:28 Raising capital, prepping for retail, and first retail sale process 30:57 How to approach retail buyers and pitch 34:03 Different ways to reach retail buyers: direct outreach, inbound, brokerages 39:51 Working with brokers: models, deal structures, and choosing a partner 50:29 Preparing retail pitch materials and buyer presentations 51:39 Identifying category white space and incremental value 54:53 Merchandising and digital tactics for retail success 57:06 Where to connect with Martin Forde and closing thoughts Show notes powered by Castmagic 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 here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok Martin Forde - Co-Founder of Highline Brands Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic