During COVID, Marlyn Schiff's jewelry brand started designing and selling masks. This pivot not only generated revenue but, more importantly, kept the brand relevant and in constant contact with its 2,000+ store partners. When the crisis ended, those relationships were stronger than ever.

While VCs pushed direct-to-consumer, Faherty's founders blended wholesale, retail, and online sales. This diversified revenue, managed cash flow via wholesale factoring, and built brand presence in a way a pure-play DTC model couldn't.

After years of steady growth, the brand launched a flannel-sweater hybrid that "evaporated" from shelves. The success of this single item gave them the confidence and clear signal needed to build a true direct-to-consumer business around it.

The company never proactively pitched major retailers. Instead, they focused on creating a powerful digital presence and a superior product. This strategy made the brand so desirable that major players like Sephora initiated the partnership, flipping the traditional wholesale sales dynamic.

Despite starting in what she considered an "antiquated" field, founder Sarah Sugarman found physical catalogs to be a pivotal growth driver. They allow customers to experience the aspirational lifestyle brand in their own homes, building trust and driving sales in a way digital channels can't replicate for high-ticket items.

Numi initially used a wholesale model but found it ineffective. They were relying on third-party retail staff to explain a new product category and address the social stigma around sweating. Shifting to direct-to-consumer (DTC) allowed them to control the narrative, educate customers directly, and grow 300%.

During COVID-19, 2U Laundry's delivery service struggled while its physical laundromats thrived as essential businesses. This crisis-induced data revealed the laundromat was the "unlock for everything." It forced a pivot to franchising, which solved capital and scaling constraints, leading to immense growth.

The recession acted as a tailwind for e.l.f. As consumers sought value, major competitors launched expensive drugstore lines that failed. This created a market vacuum and opened up precious retail shelf space for e.l.f. to fill.

For emerging brands, the path to retail shelf space is indirect. Instead of pitching buyers, focus on building a powerful direct-to-consumer (DTC) business and capturing the attention of younger demographics online. Retailers, desperate to attract these consumers, will then come to you.