HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Your ticket to The Lead Summit grants you access to The DTC Symposium.
The DTC Symposium is a brand new program co-located at The Lead Summit, designed for DTC practitioners across marketing, ecommerce, retail and operations.
Your ticket to The Lead Summit grants you access to The DTC Symposium.
Build your network with 600+ fellow DTC leaders in this program designed to help you develop strategies and tactics that will serve your uniquely high-growth cultures.
We also welcome scaled brands to hear what’s next from the DTC brands who are testing approaches that will change the game.
WHAT TO EXPECT
TWO UNIQUE STAGES:
Stage One features discussions on the future of the industry and how you can take advantage of it. Stage Two gives you practical, real-time strategies and tactics to get better at your everyday work.
DTC PITCH COMPETITION:
Eight early stage brands – sell us on their go to market, their growth strategies and their overall potential (plus you’ll experience their product!).
CEO MIXER:
For CEOs & Founders of high growth challenger DTC brands, this intimate breakout session allows for reconnecting, concept testing, benchmarking and more.
CLOSING DRINKS:
Join us to close the day with the people you need to know in the place you need to be.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Learn How to Build a Brand & Community Through Power of Storytelling and Social Media
- Discover Paid vs. Organic Strategies That Actually Work
- Get Master Tips and Tricks for Structuring Wholesale Relationships and Running Successful Stores
- Learn How to Implement Technology that Scales with You
- Hear From Successful Founders on Scaling, Mistakes & Pivots
- Meet the Next Generation of Game-Changing Challenger Brands at the DTC Pitch Competition
SPEAKERS
Melanie Travis
Founder & CEO
Andie
Ankur Goyal
SVP, Growth
Coterie
Emily Hosie
Founder & CEO
REBEL (formerly Rebelstork)
Scott Kramer
VP, Growth Marketing
AS Beauty
Stormi Steele
CEO
Canvas Beauty
Sabeen Mian
President of the Lash Division
Performance Beauty Group
FlutterHabit, Grande Cosmetics, Lilly Lashes, Velour Beauty, Babe Original, Bondi Boost
Cael Schwartz
Head of Growth
Mugsy
Jacob Zuppke
CEO
Whisker
Ronak Patel
VP, Marketing
Moonbrew
Maarten Bodewes
Co-Founder
Loop Earplugs
Robbie Salter
Founder & Co-CEO
Jupiter
Vanessa Urenda
Co-Founder & Chief Omni-Channel Officer
ADA Collection
Lexi Kaminer
Sr Director, Ecommerce and Growth
The Outset
Dhruv Patel
Founder & CEO
Aftersell by Rokt
John Stellato
President and CEO
Hydrow
Jonathan Cohen
CMO
Pure Daily Care & Aquasonic
Anthony DelPizzo
Director of Product Marketing
Triple Whale
Ashley Raymond
Co-Founder & CEO
Safely
Meagan Doyle
Co-Founder & CMO
Safely
Joe Rotondo
Founder & CEO
SMEARCASE
THE AGENDA
The DTC Symposium is co-located at The Lead Summit, designed for DTC practitioners and welcomes scaled brands alike. Your ticket to The Lead Summit grants you access to The DTC Symposium. Learn more here.
1:30 - 1:35 PM
Stage 2
STAGE 2 – THE DTC SYMPOSIUM
DTC Symposium Welcome Remarks
Sonal Gandhi, Chief Content Officer, The Lead
1:35 - 1:50 PM
Stage 2
STAGE 2 – THE DTC SYMPOSIUM
Keynote: Building a High-Growth Brand in 2025
Maarten Bodewes, Co-Founder, Loop Earplugs
Gabrielle Fonrouge, Retail Reporter, CNBC
1:55 - 2:20 PM
STAGE 2
Build a Brand & Community Through Power of Storytelling and Social Media
Jacob Zuppke, CEO, Whisker
Sabeen Mian, President, Lash Division, Performance Beauty Group
Jake Karls, Co- Founder, Mid-Day Squares
Colin Daniels, Marketing Strategist, It’s Colin Daniels (Moderator)
STAGE 3
Do More with Less and Creatively Compete with Big Brands with Big Budgets
Lexi Kaminer, Sr Director, Ecommerce and Growth, Outset
Ankur Goyal, SVP, Growth, Coterie
Minali Chatani, Executive Creative Director, FARRYNHEIGHT (Moderator)
2:25 - 2:45 PM
STAGE 2
Deploy Out-of-The Box Thinking to Build Business Models and Achieve Growth in Today’s Evolving Landscape
Melanie Travis, Founder and CEO, Andie
Emily Hosie, Founder & CEO, REBEL
Richard Kestenbaum, Partner, Triangle Capital | Contributor, Forbes.com
STAGE 3
Maximise the Post-Purchase Revenue Opportunity (Case Study)
Cael Schwartz, Head of Growth, Mugsy
Ronak Patel, VP, Marketing, Moonbrew
Dhruv Patel, Founder & CEO, Aftersell by Rokt
2:45 - 3:00 PM
Networking Break
2:30 - 3:45 PM
The Loft
CEO Mixer
3:00 - 3:20 PM
STAGE 2
Update Your Go-to-Market Approach to Keep up with Changing Times
John Stellato, President and CEO, Hydrow
Gabrielle Fonrouge, Retail Reporter, CNBC
STAGE 3
Measure Cross-Channel Performance Accurately and Consistently (Case Study)
Scott Kramer, VP, Growth Marketing, AS Beauty
Anthony DelPizzo, Director, Product Marketing, Triple Whale (Interviewer)
3:25 - 3:50 PM
STAGE 2
Build and Scale Your Brand on TikTok Shops
Stormi Steele, CEO, Canvas Beauty
Jonathan Cohen, CMO, Pure Daily Care & Aquasonic
Leslie Ann Hall, CEO and Founder, Iced Media (Moderator)
STAGE 3
Build Profitable Wholesale Strategies for Long-Term Growth
Vanessa Urenda, Co-Founder & Chief Omni-Channel Officer, ADA Collection
Robbie Salter. Founder & Co-CEO, Jupiter
Liza Amlani, Principal and Co-Founder, Retail Strategy Group (Moderator)
4:00 - 5:00 PM
STAGE 2 – THE DTC PITCH COMPETITION
Eight emerging brands take the stage for a six-minute pitch which will include the business’s origin story, the market opportunity, and how the brand is poised to take advantage of it. A panel of experts will pose questions and the audience will get to vote for their favorite brand with the most compelling business proposition!
Featuring:
Angel Margarita
SMEARCASE
Outlines
The Next Great American
Lager
Spoonful
Safely
LINK x LOU
Sweetums
5:00 - 5:30 PM
THE DTC SYMPOSIUM
Closing Cocktails
ATTENDEES INCLUDE
Over 600 people will attend The DTC Symposium — Built for practitioners and strategists from Challenger DTC Brands as well as Established Brands & Retailers curious about this sector and what the ‘new kids on the block’ are up to.
By leaning into our Foremost 50 heritage you can expect brands such as:
WHAT TO EXPECT
TWO UNIQUE STAGES:
Stage One gives you practical, realtime strategies and tactics to get better at your everyday. Stage Two features discussion of the future of the industry and how you can take advantage of it.
DTC PITCH COMPETITION:
We will select seven early stage, promising brands – you will judge their go to market, their strategies and their overall potential (plus you’ll experience their product!).
CEO MIXER:
Meet peers in similar positions to discuss and solve challenges together through structured discussion groups, hands-on workshops, curated dinners, and focused lunches.
CLOSING PARTY:
Join us to close the day with the people you need to know in the place you need to be.
SPONSORS
Sponsorships for The DTC Symposium are thoughtful, value-creating, and meaningful. Opportunities are limited, contact us for more information or download the brochure.
