It’s a K-Shaped Summer
It’s a K-shaped economy and the consumer split in two this summer. Premium Modern Consumer Brands are on the winning side. In August’s Open With Joy Newsletter: Where to find and hold your margin, in the buy, the freight, and the returns.
Homegrown Mirakl Catalog Automation, No Upgrade Required
You made it onto Mirakl. Now the catalog uploads are eating up hours and draining your team’s bandwidth. Here's how one Claude SKILL automates the whole thing. The only thing upgrading are your listings at no added cost.
Landed Cost Frameworks for Modern Consumer Brands
So you think your margin is healthy. One brand I worked with was sure of it, until we built an accurate landed cost and found they were losing money on core SKUs. Here are the four gaps that hide the truth, and what they cost in the decisions you make with every order.
The Next Wave of Tariff Strategies for Modern Consumer Brands
Your COGS calculator from last year has a revolving door of columns, fees, temporary tariffs, and more. Here are four moves modern consumer brands are using to protect margin while the rate keeps moving: buy-ahead discipline, HTS classification, FTZs, and First Sale.
Friction Maxxing and What It Means for Modern Consumer Brands
The impulse economy is unwinding. In 2026, consumers are creating their own hoops to jump through before they buy. The brands that hold up under scrutiny are the ones winning new and repeat customers from those that are lacking.
Retailer Chargebacks: How Brands Prevent and Dispute
Chargebacks exist because retailers want you to succeed in their stores. The brands that struggle aren't doing anything catastrophically wrong; they just need better systems. Here’s how emerging brands can get started.
Becoming Besties With Bloomingdale’s
A placement in Bloomingdale’s will add a layer of credibility and prestige to any brand. However, getting into Bloomingdale's and running Bloomingdale's profitably are two different things. Brands that don’t go in prepared will likely write off their first season as a learning experience.
On The Rhode To DTC Success
Rhode sold to e.l.f. for $800 million. Three years old on 11% marketing spend. High visibility cuts 2 ways. Raving fans that flood your website on launch day, and raging fans that flood socials when the delivery fails. Product and operations are the differentiators.
High-Income Consumers Are Commercially Exhausted
Your customer is insta-jaded and can't TikTok take it any longer. This month: why high-income consumers are losing confidence, where their dollars are actually going, what it's costing you in shipping, and the one acquisition channel that meets them where they are.
Is Amazon MCF Right for Your CPG Brand?
Amazon MCF gives CPG brands access to world-class logistics infrastructure. It also hands over the one thing you spent years building. Here's what to weigh before you decide.