Bullish

Do you know how to identify the most valuable consumer on the planet?

We are very excited to unveil proprietary research that was years in the making. Bullish has discovered a cohort of American Consumers more powerful than Early Adopters. Pioneers, representing ~15% of the population, adopt new products very purposely, recommend with intent and are stickier, more valuable customers to brands. We’ve helped leading brands unlock growth by focusing on this valuable consumer segment. We worked with a major retailer to identify how Pioneers —underrepresented in their loyalty program but overindexed in LTV — drive outsized value. We partnered with a sports brand to launch a new product tailored specifically to this group. And now, we’re working with several fast-growing companies (sub-$100M in revenue) to center their innovation and marketing around this high-impact audience. Click the below to learn more or DM me if you are a brand or investor looking for profitable growth.

Introducing The Pioneers ?? At Bullish, our decade of consumer research across both our brand agency and venture firm has revealed something remarkable: a small but mighty segment of consumers who consistently shape what the rest of the market will care about next. Today, we’re proud to introduce The Pioneers – consumers who discover early and influence what others eventually adopt.?Unlike traditional influencers, their impact comes from being trusted discoverers rather than paid promoters. They’re the essential bridge between breakthrough ideas and mainstream acceptance, loaded with the social capital to turn emerging brands into category leaders. Their ability to recognize what matters and share it authentically helps brands scale faster, with lower acquisition costs and stronger, trust-driven advocacy. We’ve mapped their behaviors, preferences, and influence patterns – and we’re excited to share why winning with Pioneers isn’t just helpful, it’s a strategic unlock for the brands shaping what’s next. Are you one of them? Check out our initial findings here: https://lnkd.in/ehF5fsZb

Yesterday, Maria Pope and I kicked off a breakfast series for consumer investors, starting with the people who truly help early-stage brands take flight: angels! ?? It was a pleasure to gather some of our favorite NYC consumer angels at one of my favorite breakfast spots and share what we're seeing. I'm grateful to Carta for always being a great partner to Bullish. I can't wait for our next one! ??

We're bullish on Dirty Labs, a high-performance, environmentally-friendly?home cleaning company, and our latest investment. ?? We're glad to re(commit) to David Perry Watkins and the team as they build a brand led by biorenewable ingredients and sustainable practices that delivers results for consumers across their home cleaning needs, from laundry to dish and more. Why will Dirty Labs be big? Dirty Labs is on the brink of becoming not only a big brand, but also a no-brainer solution for consumers. Its impressive gross margins and focused founding team are attacking its two current categories very well on DTC and Amazon. We see much more runway for Dirty Labs with the addition of wholesale. In a world where brands are going after ‘better-for-you’ messaging without fully delivering on performance, Dirty Labs delivers at a high level without any compromises to the environment, to your wallet, or to your health. Read more about why we invested and listen to Michael Duda's full conversation with David here: https://lnkd.in/ekk6qz5F

Printemps New York is going to make department stores cool again ??? The 150-year-old French luxury retailer opens its NYC flagship in 48 hours. To celebrate the launch and uncover more ongoing transformations in the consumer space, here's why Printemps' approach deserves our attention: 1?? Customer Ownership = Seamless Experiences Unlike most department stores that lease space to brands, Printemps owns its entire footprint. No shop-in-shops—just a cohesive vision. This strategic choice delivers the best of both worlds: DTC-level control over customer relationships with irreplaceable tactile experiences e-comm can't replicate. 70% of luxury purchases are still influenced by in-store interactions, proving physical retail remains crucial—when executed with intention as Printemps does. 2?? Curated Discovery, Not Convenience Printemps channels the magic of Henri Bendel's golden era of the '60s, when Geraldine Stutz's visionary leadership launched Ralph Lauren and employed Warhol as an in-house artist. Today's Printemps embodies this spirit by introducing exclusive French designers to American audiences, alongside vintage luxury finds. This focus on discovery resonates powerfully with younger consumers—57% of Gen Z and Millennials prioritize exploration over convenience in retail. Printemps is reviving a department store original superpower: the art of curation. 3?? Creating Community, Not Just Commerce Remember when malls were social hubs? Printemps does. Beyond merchandise, they're crafting a third space where culinary experiences from renowned chefs, immersive art installations, and cultural programming transform shopping into belonging. With consumers now allocating more spending to experiences than products, Printemps recognizes that tomorrow's retail winners build destinations, not just sell goods. I'll be visiting this weekend to see if the experience matches the ambition. Transformations like this remind us that retail isn't dying—it's evolving. What other legacy brands should reimagine their physical presence for today's consumer? #RetailRevolution #ExperienceEconomy #LuxuryRetail #BeBullish #ConsumerTrends #Printemps Bullish

Everyone is talking about Chili's and it's not just because of their viral Triple Dipper. The chain has had a hugely successful turnaround (revenue jumped +9% last year) despite both market and competitor downturns (casual dining sector saw a -3% downturn). Given transformations are what we do here at Bullish, I wanted to dig into this success a bit more so we can raise a marg to their success. How’d they do it? 1?? CEO-Led Long-Term Value Creation Chili’s is now widely applauded for risk-reward and success. However, as noted by CEO Kevin Hochman in Brinker’s latest earnings call, this turnaround plan took 7 quarters to turn traffic positive - that’s nearly two years. And the same CMO, George Felix, has been in place for three years. Success like Chili’s is built over time with sustained pilots, trials and innovations. That’s time most organizations don’t give their teams (see Solo Stove). 2?? Giving the Customer What They Want (and Need) The 3 For Me deal arose from a keen understanding of pricing pressure the consumer was feeling and the true value proposition of Chili’s. The effort was 360 degrees as an organization. Marketing called out Fast Food in brand and performance advertising. Operations ensured efficiency elsewhere to allow for the promotional pricing. 3 For Me, drove incremental visits attracting a broader demographic group. Chili’s anchored in real customer needs and preferences and followed it through. 3?? Playing the Tried-and-True Tactics Chili’s comms strategy is old-school tactics on new-age channels. They understand their marketing channels and use them appropriately. TikTok is at the forefront of this impact, seeing a 20% increase in overall engagement. Chili’s has mastered the art of using each communication channel to its fullest potential, ensuring whatever message they’re sharing makes sense for where it’s being placed. Any other fast casual turnarounds you want to see? Personally, given Brinker International also owns Maggiano’s, I am watching to see how Maggiano’s is able to mirror Chili’s success and own new lanes altogether. Maggiano's Little Italy, I love your Riganto D and know an agency that can help out ?? #BusinessTransformation #MarketingStrategy #Chilis #DigitalMarketing #BrandSuccess #BeBullish #BullishOnTransformation P.S. As Michael Duda informed me yesterday, Chili’s has its own Marketing Academy.

Presenting Make it easy-peasy ?? easy-peasy is a whimsical children’s clothing brand designed for easy dressing without compromising on style. When the brand decided to shift its focus from retail to online sales, the team came to us with the desire to deepen easy-peasy's direct-to-consumer platform and differentiate the brand in the market through a new Spring/Summer 2025 campaign. Through the delivery of a lifestyle and product campaign in collaboration with Time Will Tell Films, that included video, photography, social, site copy, and more, Bullish helped give fresh energy and direction to easy-peasy's DTC marketing. Read more about our work with easy-peasy here: https://lnkd.in/ezE2CJjK

Michael Duda putting in the WORK for Hally on a live Tik Tok Shop?!? Believe it or not he wasn’t the best part of it. But, he did double orders when he was on. #investment #bebullish

Congrats to Hagan Kappler and the team for adding more fuel to the rocketship that is Daisy. We're glad to be along for the ride. ??