The Direct to Consumer Playbook

Mike Stevens has played key roles in two of the most iconic start up-challenger brands in recent years: Innocent smoothies and Peppersmith plant-based chewing gum and mints. At Innocent, he built and ran their supply chain for six years before becoming a country manager and heading up the brand's launch in Scandinavia. In 2009 he co-founded Peppersmith. He now advises D2C food and drink businesses and is a mentor for Virgin Startup. He is based in Dorset, UK.

Chapter - 00: Introduction;
Chapter - 01: In the beginning was graze.com - graze;
Chapter - 02: From a side hustle to international stardom - Huel;
Chapter - 03: Unearthing a huge problem hidden in plain sight - Snag;
Chapter - 04: Measuring satisfaction and why it matters - Bloom & Wild;
Chapter - 05: Moving with the times and the art of resilience - Cornerstone;
Chapter - 06: Why bigger is not always better - Sugru;
Chapter - 07: Using DTC toilet paper to build toilets and ensure access to sanitation for every person on the planet by 2050 - Who Gives A Crap;
Chapter - 08: Building a community for a higher purpose - TRIBE;
Chapter - 09: Launching a DTC brand in the 2020s. The new rules of the game - Lick | Clearing;
Chapter - 10: The importance of an emotional connection with your customers - tails.com;
Chapter - 11: Using stress and burnout as the inspiration to build a better business - Heights;
Chapter - 12: How to use your low margin DTC channel as your omnichannel marketing machine - Ugly Drinks;
Chapter - 13: Overcoming the challenges of a frozen supply chain to accelerate an inevitable shift to plant-based diets - allplants;
Chapter - 14: How DTC is helping a whole town get its mojo back - Hiut Denim;
Chapter - 15: Summing up

"Very few books are both as inspiring and useful as this. Mike has looked beyond the glossy case histories to the real learning curves of success and failure in DTC and feeds the flame of our entrepreneurial spirit as he does so."

"I loved reading the gritty backstory of so many of my favourite founders and brands. Mike really brings it all together concisely and compellingly. Chock full of helpful learnings - a must-read for anyone adventuring and playing in the DTC world."

"Finally, a book taking on the DTC world. Recommended."

"Packed full of inspirational stories from pioneering brands, this book will prove a treasure trove of insight and learning for everyone who is interested in the DTC space."

"An essential read for those who work in DTC or are thinking about setting up on their own. The case studies and interviews with some of the UK's fastest growing DTC scaleups brilliantly capture the common challenges and different approaches to meeting them."

"A must-read for anybody working in marketing. DTC is so much more than a sales channel, and this book provides a healthy dose of case study inspiration and best practice tips around where brand meets e-commerce."

"The book I wish I had when starting Heights (and knew very little about the space). No matter where you are on your journey, there's always more to learn, but Mike has done a great job of distilling everything we need to know in one superb book. A must read if you're serious about DTC."

"Mike has drawn together the hard-earned lessons of the UK's most successful DTC companies, unearthing what it really took to make them fly. This book gives you the insights you just can't get elsewhere."

"A fantastic insight into some of the most successful DTC brands out there."

"Running a fast-growth business is all about learning. You often learn from your own mistakes, but it's far, far better to learn from others, from those that have gone before you and paved the way. Mike has done an incredible job assembling an all-star cast for us all to learn from and presented their lessons in a truly engaging way. A must-read for all entrepreneurs."

"Companies can and should make the world a better place and win the hearts of people. This book, like its author, is guiding you to dare to be outspoken, different, better and more fact based. Learn how to open to pathways for loyal brand advocates to join you on your mission."

"DTC is the most important emerging tool for anyone who makes a physical product. However, it is also the most misunderstood. Mike has captured the spirit of the DTC landscape while also highlighting just what this channel can do."

"Essential reading for anyone who works in or for the direct to consumer world."

"I'm so glad this book exists! What a fantastic insight into how businesses are really built. It's never pretty, and it's not simple, but could anything be more fun? Mike has captured the stark reality of what it's really like being at the vanguard of DTC. I wish I'd had this book when I started Snag."

"Mike's book is a goldmine of hard-earnt lessons and priceless insight from some of the most inspiring, disruptive and successful DTC brands of the last few years. It's a must-read for any entrepreneur looking to start or scale their DTC channel."

"Mike packs every useful lesson about building and scaling DTC companies into a single, digestible book. Bringing each to life through engaging case studies and interviews with the people who are building Graze, Heights, Bloom & Wild, Ugly Drinks and many others. If you're thinking about launching a consumer product start-up or are involved in them in any way, this is required reading."