From B2B giant to DTC from scratch

Hey there, it’s Patrick from TVG.

Most brands think launching DTC is about ads.

It’s not.

It’s about expectations, process, and patience.

After 25+ years as a B2B giant, Drive Medical decided to do something most established companies struggle with:

Launch a DTC channel from literal zero.

No legacy playbook.

No internal eCommerce team.

No shortcuts.

Just a brand-new site and one person owning the entire channel.

From zero to their biggest month ever

I recently sat down with Laura, who leads Drive Medical’s DTC channel end-to-end.

And when I say end-to-end, I mean:

→ Customer service

→ Promotions

→ Email

→ Ads

→ Executive reporting

A team of one, building a brand-new revenue engine inside a massive organization.

What actually worked

Here’s what stood out most from the conversation:

1. They didn’t rush growth

The site launched in December 2024.

The first few months weren’t about scale - they were about stability.

→ Fixing bugs

→ Understanding customer behavior

→ Learning how DTC actually works

Most brands skip this phase.

Most brands pay for it later.

2. They invested in learning, not just execution

Email, paid ads, attribution - all of it was new.

Instead of outsourcing blindly, Laura focused on understanding the channel while building it.

That’s how you avoid turning DTC into a “pet project.”

3. Email became the foundation

The first real win came from a strategic email campaign:

→ Migrating an existing audience

→ Warming them properly

→ Introducing the new DTC site

The result?

43% email attribution in the first month.

Not hype. Just fundamentals executed well.

4. Creative + iteration unlocked paid media

When they launched a new mobility product line, expectations were low.

Internal forecast: a few units sold.

Reality?

→ 117 units sold in a single month

→ Multiple ads outperforming prior benchmarks

→ Clear signal on what to scale next

Great assets + disciplined testing wins every time.

The biggest takeaway

Launching DTC from zero isn’t about speed.

It’s about:

→ Trusting the process

→ Learning the channel

→ Setting realistic expectations

→ Doubling down when the data proves it out

Month over month, Drive Medical is now scaling sustainably - not forcing growth.

Watch the full conversation

If you’re a brand:

→ Launching DTC from scratch

→ Expanding from B2B to DTC

→ Or trying to build a profitable new channel

This interview is worth your time.

👉 Watch the full Drive Medical case study here:

How This B2B Giant Built a Profitable DTC Channel from Zero | Client Interview

Thinking about scaling your own DTC channel?

This is exactly what we look at when we audit brands:

→ What stage you’re actually in

→ What should be built first

→ What’s premature

→ Where the fastest path to profit is

👉 Book your Audit Call here.

The best DTC brands aren’t rushed.

They’re built correctly.

Talk soon,

Patrick O’Driscoll

CEO, TVG

PS - Starting from zero isn’t the disadvantage people think it is. It’s leverage.