Forme hedges its World Cup brand promo on Kalshi — the new shape of ecomm risk. Meta rolls out Live Video Ads at Cannes, influencers debut better-for-you cereal brand Backflip, and we ask: is Threads 500M real?
Plus TJ Bongiorno guest-hosts .
ON TODAY'S EPISODE OF ECOMM COWBOY
Devan Welch (Growth Marketing, Kwasi Paul) — SEO, founder-led LinkedIn authority, high-intent email, PR, community referrals — and a DTC-to-retail-to-marketplace flywheel thesis. Built no-paid-ads muscle in adult-wellness and SexTech categories where ad platforms flat-out restrict you. We dig into what made Target on day one the right bet, what paid-restricted brands learn that easy-ads brands don't, and where refusing paid holds a brand back.
Veronica Gelman (Co-Founder & CEO, Castaway Bed) — Old Bridge, NJ sleep startup behind a patent-pending motorized split-king bed for couples with "sleep incompatibility." Conceived it from her own problem — a light sleeper whose partner's snoring and movement, plus a five-year-old climbing into the middle, left her more tired than when she went to bed. After roughly a year with co-founder Michael Strem, Castaway launched April 13, 2026 and won a MUSE Design Gold Award. Glides apart on a button-press into two Twin XLs.
ALSO ON THE SHOW
- How to make $1M
- Made in America merch
- LEGO Pokémon Pokéball set (72154)
- Read & React: the curious case of Krispy Kreme
- Watch & React: The Age of Aura Farming by Gritcult
- Watch & React: Tommy Melo — words matter
- Color of the summer?
- Hilary Duff is Bath & Body Works' new Fruit Fusion ambassador
- A "trick" to click ads by wiping off an overlay
- Moment of zen: Bank of America says take profits
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