Ep 467: Building a Mission-Led Brand: Lessons from Better Basics’ Plastic-Free Journey

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup On this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Samantha Rayner, founder of Better Basics, a mission-led household goods brand focused on reducing plastic and toxins. With years in the consumer product space and a deeply personal story, Samantha shares how Better Basics grew from a purpose-driven idea into a brand that resonates with eco-conscious consumers. Key takeaways from this episode: Building a Mission-Led Brand: Why sustainability needs to align with product design and function. Leveraging Vulnerability: The "Save Our Business" campaign that nearly sold out their inventory through authentic storytelling. Pivoting to a Drop Model: How Better Basics plans to create urgency, reduce waste, and scale intentionally in 2025. Samantha also talks about the role of community in building a brand and why organic growth through partnerships and storytelling has outperformed paid ads for them. Listen in for actionable insights on navigating the challenges of running a mission-driven, bootstrapped DTC brand. Timestamps: 00:00 - Starting the DTC Podcast with Samantha Rayner 02:00 - The mission behind Better Basics 05:00 - Tackling plastic and ingredient challenges 07:30 - Partnerships as a growth strategy 10:00 - Bootstrapping challenges and focusing on SKUs 15:00 - Moving to a drop model and pre-orders 18:30 - Authenticity in marketing and the "Save Our Business" campaign 23:00 - Lessons learned from selling out inventory 26:00 - The importance of standing for something as a brand Hashtags: #BetterBasics #SustainableLiving #EcoFriendlyProducts #DTCMarketing #PlasticFree #SmallBusinessJourney #MissionDrivenBrand #Entrepreneurship #ProductDrops #MarketingTips Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video