CLOC
K
WIS
E
FRO
M
TOP:
COU
RT
ESY
DAVI
D
B
ELL;
SHAYAN
AS
GH
AR
NIA;
C
HRIS
TAA
N
F
EL
B
ER
( 2);
ICO
NS:
T
H
E
NO
UN
P
ROJ
E
CT
THE DTC MAFIA
WHY DO ALL OF THESE STARTUPS LOOK SIMILAR?
Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Neil Blumenthal is married to Rachel Blumenthal, founder of
Rockets of Awesome. Jesse Derris, founder of a PR firm that represents at least a dozen DTC brands,
is married to DTC feminine care co-founder Jordana Kier of Lola. And Wharton professor David Bell has
taught—and invested in the companies of—more than a dozen DTC founders. Welcome to the cozy
world of DTC startups,* where many of these companies share the same branding agencies, PR firms,
investors, friends—and Wharton professor.
INVESTMENT CURRENT OR FORMER CLIENT ADVISING/ TEACHING
WHARTON ALUM
GIN LANE
Branding firm
founded by
Emmett Shine
IDEA FARM
David Bell’s new
company that
builds and invests
in DTC startups
DERRIS
Jesse Derris’s
PR firm
RED
ANTLER
Branding firm
founded by Emily
Heyward, JB
Osborne, and
Simon Endres
AMIT Y
SUPPLY
Jesse Derris’s
new VC arm
BRISTLE
MEUNDIES
INTERIOR
DEFINE
CARE OF
ROCKETS OF
AWESOME
COTOPAXI
HIMS
HARRY’S
LOLA
A.N OTHER
BONOBOS
COLUGO
DAGNE
DOVER
HARPER
WILDE
SNOWE
GLOSSIER
AWAY
LA
LIGNE
ALLBIRDS
KOIO
EVERLANE
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
M.GEMI
DOLLAR SHAVE
CLUB
FARMER’S
DOG
RI TUAL
PROSE
CUROLOGY
THE INSIDE
RADEN QUIP DIA
& CO.
OUTDOOR
VOICES
CHUBBIES
BAUBLEBAR
BOLL &
BRANCH
BIRDIES
OTHERLAND
SMILO
FRAMEBRIDGE
BRANDLESS
CASPER
GOBY
KEEPS
WARBY PARKER
Co-founders
JEFF RAIDER DAVE GILBOA NEIL
BLUMENTHAL
PORTER
ROAD
DAVID BELL
Professor at Wharton
& DTC guru
BURROW
BRAND
FOUNDRY
VC firm founded
by Andrew
Mitchell
PR, BRANDING,
OR VC FIRM
FORERUNNER
VENTURES
VC firm
founded by
Kirsten Green
This graphic is representative but not exhaustive.
