In this episode of The Orita Podcast, Michael Mahoney, CEO at Misen, and Katharine Azzolini, Senior Lifecycle Marketing Manager at Misen, walk us through how a 12-person cookware team balances profitability, creativity, and relentless product focus, without drowning in tools or distractions.

They tackle: • Do less, better. How Misen drives $50M+ revenue with a small team and crystal-clear priorities

• Ops meets ethos. Why spin-to-win doesn’t fit their brand, and how they simplify instead of chase trends

• Lifecycle that works. How AI + segmentation help personalize flows, winbacks, and launches without spamming

• Launching with loyalty. How Kickstarter fuels product validation and customer acquisition without cannibalizing DTC

• CAC ≠ the problem. Why most brands over-index on ad tweaks and under-invest in product and positioning

• Saying no to too much software. What tools Misen avoids, and why focus beats stack bloat every time From pre-order playbooks to data-led storytelling, this episode is a must-listen for any marketer, operator, or founder trying to scale a durable, lean brand, without breaking their team or customer trust.

👥 Meet the guests Michael Mahoney, CEO at Misen Katharine Azzolini, Senior Lifecycle Marketing Manager at Misen

🎙️ Hosted by Aaron Schwartz, Co-founder & Co-CEO at Orita.ai

🎧 Chapters [00:00] – From Kickstarter to Kitchen Counters: Misen’s Origin Story [02:48] – How a 12-Person Team Runs a $50M Brand [05:20] – The Lifecycle Strategy That Keeps Customers Coming Back [08:26] – Why Education Is Misen’s Secret Marketing Weapon [11:17] – Build What They Want: Customer-Back Product Development [13:44] – The AI Stack That Actually Works (and What Doesn’t) [16:41] – What Misen Really Thinks About Attribution Models [19:24] – Kickstarting Loyalty: Launch Tactics That Stick [23:20] – Gut vs. Data: How Misen Decides What’s Next [25:59] – Inside Misen’s Test-and-Learn Playbook [28:26] – Staying Nimble: How to Build Flexibility into Growth [30:35] – Rethinking Retail: What “Omnichannel” Looks Like in 2025 [35:05] – AI in DTC: What’s Worth It, What’s Just Hype [37:24] – Automate Smarter: Misen’s Practical AI Use Cases [42:44] – Don’t Cannibalize Yourself: Launching New Products Without Losing Old Sales [45:37] – What Every Marketer Needs to Hear in 2025 [47:23] – Bonus Round: Misen’s Fan-Favorite Products (and What’s Coming Next)

🌐 Check out Orita.ai for more episodes of The Orita Podcast, where we sit down with the most interesting operators, marketers, and founders in e-commerce to talk about what’s working right now. Hosted by the Orita team. Orita uses machine learning to help brands send smarter, more profitable marketing, by figuring out who actually wants to hear from you and when. 🚀 Get your free email audit from Orita, turn segments into superpowers: https://orita.ai

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple

📩 Subscribe for more founder‑grade retention intel