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In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Andy Hoang, the founder of Aviron, a connected fitness company merging casual gaming with home exercise equipment. From bootstrapping with home equity lines to pivoting from B2B to DTC during COVID, Andy’s journey is a case study in high-consideration product growth, investor navigation, and multi-channel marketing.

Key Highlights:

Why hardware/software hybrid brands require longer go-to-market timelines

The real story behind getting into Y Combinator after years of rejection

Why attribution doesn’t work for $2K+ purchases—and what does

Scaling creative production for UGC, influencer, and AppLovin performance

How Aviron uses direct mail to connect with 45+ customers

Why expanding SKU options drives down CAC

If you’re scaling a complex DTC product or navigating the tricky world of funding, this episode is a goldmine of tactical lessons.

Timestamps:

00:00 – How Andy Hoang bootstrapped Aviron’s early days

02:45 – Pivoting from B2B to DTC during the pandemic

05:10 – Getting into Y Combinator and what changed

08:00 – Marketing a $2,000 fitness machine with no clear attribution

10:30 – Why Aviron doubled down on gamified fitness

13:00 – Competing with Peloton and building defensible software

15:25 – Exploring direct mail, influencer, and app-based advertising

18:00 – Aviron’s 2025 roadmap: New products and price points

20:30 – Real talk: Andy’s advice for ambitious founders

Hashtags:

#DTCpodcast

#AvironFitness

#YCombinator

#FounderStory

#Bootstrapping

#DirectToConsumer

#FitnessTech

#GamifiedFitness

#EcommerceGrowth

#StartupLife

#PelotonCompetitor

#MarketingStrategy

#ConnectedFitness

#SubscriptionBusiness

#VentureCapital

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Ep 497: Aviron’s $25M Journey: Gamified Fitness & DTC Pivot

DTC Podcast