Guiding Your Products to
Your Customers.
CompassDTC empowers small to midsize CPG companies with data-driven insights to compete directly with industry giants. By leveraging our data science expertise, we help you maximize ROI on direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing campaigns, foster lasting customer loyalty, and craft a successful, long-term DTC strategy.
Alex J. Caffarini
President & Founder
About our founder
Alex Caffarini is a seasoned data scientist, entrepreneur, and educator with a passion for helping small and midsized consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies thrive in an increasingly competitive market.
Born into a family of business owners, Alex has always been a strong advocate for entrepreneurs and small businesses. This commitment inspired him to launch CompassDTC, a consulting firm dedicated to empowering emerging CPG brands with data-driven strategies to compete with industry giants.With over 30 years of experience in data science and marketing research—much of it in the CPG industry—Alex specializes in direct-to-consumer (DTC) analytics, demand forecasting, and promotional optimization.
Before founding CompassDTC in 2008 (originally as Analysights, LLC), Alex held leadership roles at companies like Johnson & Johnson, Astellas Pharma, SymphonyAI Retail, Willard Bishop, and NCH Marketing Services. At Willard Bishop and NCH, he improved industry reporting processes and authored influential market trend reports, one of which led to a private equity acquisition. His predictive modeling work has helped major CPG manufacturers boost their promotional ROI by more than 20%.In addition to his consulting work, Alex is committed to sharing his expertise through teaching. He is an adjunct professor at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where he teaches decision science courses. Previously, he taught database design and business statistics at Loyola University Chicago. Alex holds both a B.B.A. in Economics and an MBA in Marketing from Loyola University Chicago.
A Chicago native and lifelong fan of the Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks, and Bears, Alex now resides in the Philadelphia suburbs.
When he’s not working, you’ll find him exploring his love for cooking, opera, performing arts, traveling, writing, and spending time with family.
The Legacy of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is in Alex Caffarini's blood: his grandfather started a tavern and grocery store in Chicago's south suburbs after arriving from Italy. His dad took over the tavern and converted it into a full-service liquor store, while his aunt took over the grocery store and made it one of the most popular Italian specialty grocery stores in the area. One of Alex's uncles owned an ice cream parlor; one of his brothers founded a veterinary hospital; and several of his cousins have owned restaurants, carpet cleaning businesses, and electrician services businesses. If anyone understands the excitement and challenges small and emerging brands face, it's Alex.
1896
Turning Aspiration into Action
Alex always aspired to follow in the entrepreneurial footsteps of his family, and when the financial crisis of 2007 hit, he saw an opportunity to turn that dream into reality. In November 2008, Alex launched Analysights, LLC, a marketing research and analytics firm dedicated to delivering actionable insights to clients across all industries. By 2010, Analysights was already making an impact—developing customer acquisition models for a superregional bank, creating customer retention strategies for a mobile broadband provider, and building forecasting models for industry trade groups and colleges.
2008
Empowering Small CPG Firms to Thrive in the DTC Landscape
By 2024, Alex saw a growing challenge in the consumer marketplace: the wave of mergers and acquisitions across industries was leading to declining product quality, diminished responsiveness to customers, and reduced competition. Drawing on his deep roots in small business, his successful career in the CPG sector, and extensive experience in DTC analytics, Alex decided to refocus his business to address these concerns head-on. He rebranded Analysights as CompassDTC in November 2024, reflecting a renewed mission: to empower small CPG firms to compete with industry giants, particularly in the DTC space. Guided by three core principles—empowering small firms, prioritizing customer satisfaction, and leveraging a brand's unique strengths—CompassDTC is dedicated to leveling the playing field for innovative and ambitious companies. Let CompassDTC be your guide to delivering your best products to your best customers, at the best time.
2024
Empowering Growth Through Strategic Insights
The four pillars of data-driven success.
