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My First MillionMy First Million

She Built A $40M/Year DTC Brand Off Of Instagram (#452)

Episode 452: Shaan Puri talks to Dani Austin and her husband Jordan Ramirez about working together, Dani's experience with hair loss and the business she created to solve it, how they monetize as influencers, and more.

Jordan RamirezguestShaan PurihostDani Austinguest
May 8, 20231h 2mWatch on YouTube

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At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

How Dani Austin and Jordan Ramirez built Divi beyond followers

  1. Dani Austin explained how she entered online content creation through YouTube in college, rapidly grew via collaborations, and ultimately built an in-house operation after learning the business mechanics firsthand.
  2. Dani Austin described her hair-loss experience—from stress and extensions to wigs—and said sharing it publicly created a strong bond with viewers who were dealing with similar issues.
  3. Dani Austin said Divi started when she tried to create a cleaner alternative to a viral scalp “hack,” shared her DIY process online, and then developed a real product with a chemist and manufacturing partners after followers asked to buy it.
  4. Jordan Ramirez said Divi reached about $40M in its first full year, is tracking 30%–35% growth, and has expanded beyond Dani’s direct audience while moving into retail and building internal leadership and R&D capabilities.
  5. The conversation also covered how they think about personal branding, relatability, and monetization, including affiliate-driven commerce, selective brand deals, and the growing role of UGC creators for paid advertising.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Early growth came from consistency and collaboration in the YouTube ecosystem.

Dani Austin said she began posting on YouTube in college after appearing in her brother’s videos, then grew quickly through consistent posting and creator collaborations, including time spent at YouTube Space in Los Angeles.

Owning the business side (and building in-house) was a strategic turning point.

Dani Austin said she signed with a manager early, but realized she was effectively funneling brand relationships to the manager without being prioritized, so she exited and built an in-house team that cared about her specific goals.

Vulnerability about a personal problem created deeper audience connection and opened a product opportunity.

Dani Austin described losing hair from stress and later from extensions/bleaching, then wearing wigs privately for a period before sharing it publicly, which she said unlocked a large response from others experiencing similar issues.

Divi originated from audience demand after public experimentation and education.

Dani Austin said she started experimenting with homemade scalp serums after seeing people use Monistat on their scalps for hair growth and wanted a cleaner, everyday alternative; she shared her process online until followers asked her to ship it.

Divi scaled beyond the creator’s direct audience and grew into a broader demand-driven product business.

Jordan Ramirez said Divi’s first full year did about $40M, and they were tracking 30%–35% growth the following year; he also said only about 15% of revenue came from Dani’s audience, surprising many who assume it’s mostly creator-driven sales.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

So about a month into wearing it, I just felt like a fraud. I was like, "I gotta tell people. I feel like I'm probably not the only female going through something like this. I think that like people will appreciate it and hopefully they'll be cool with it."

— Dani Austin

They're trying to be perfect all the time, and it's so unrelatable.

— Dani Austin

It's hard when your job is to live your life.

— Jordan Ramirez

I was basically just, like, funneling these brands to my manager.

— Dani Austin

I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed with my job. Like, I love creating content.

— Dani Austin

Read the available transcript
Early YouTube growth and collaborationsExiting management and building in-house teamsHair loss, wigs, and audience trustDivi origin story and product developmentRevenue growth and audience vs. non-audience salesAffiliate monetization (LTK) vs. brand dealsUGC creators and shifting influencer economics

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SPEAKERS

  • Jordan Ramirez

    guest

    Co-founder/operator of Divi and Dani Austin’s husband/business partner, focused on operations, hiring, and scaling the DTC brand.

  • Shaan Puri

    host

    Co-host of the My First Million podcast and entrepreneur/investor interviewing guests about business building and growth.

  • Dani Austin

    guest

    Content creator and founder of Divi, a hair/scalp-care DTC brand built from her Instagram/YouTube audience.

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