How To Start A 7 Figure Clothing Brand From Scratch With Raphael Schneider
Published on: December 9 2022 by MyWifeQuitHerJob Ecommerce Channel
How To Start A 7 Figure Clothing Brand From Scratch With Raphael Schneider
How To Start A 7 Figure Clothing Brand From Scratch With Raphael Schneider
| startTime | durationTime | text |
| 00:00:00 | 00:00:05 | this is so expensive starting a product |
| 00:00:03 | 00:00:07 | range from scratch and Amazon was around |
| 00:00:05 | 00:00:09 | at the time and I was like well as a |
| 00:00:07 | 00:00:11 | small fish like us we cannot compete |
| 00:00:09 | 00:00:15 | with them on Logistiks price or anything |
| 00:00:11 | 00:00:17 | what we can do is welcome to the my wife |
| 00:00:15 | 00:00:19 | Twitter job podcast today I'm thrilled |
| 00:00:17 | 00:00:21 | to have Rafael Snyder on the show |
| 00:00:19 | 00:00:24 | Raphael is the CEO and editor-in-chief |
| 00:00:21 | 00:00:25 | of the gentleman's Gazette and he also |
| 00:00:24 | 00:00:28 | runs a successful e-commerce business |
| 00:00:25 | 00:00:30 | over at Fort Belvedere |
| 00:00:28 | 00:00:33 | and he's probably one of the best |
| 00:00:30 | 00:00:34 | dressed men that I know personally and |
| 00:00:33 | 00:00:37 | he actually also sells handkerchiefs |
| 00:00:34 | 00:00:39 | among other high-end men's accessories |
| 00:00:37 | 00:00:41 | and clothing now hanging with Roth is |
| 00:00:39 | 00:00:44 | tough because random people on the |
| 00:00:41 | 00:00:46 | street always ask for photos with them |
| 00:00:44 | 00:00:47 | so literally you can't get down the |
| 00:00:46 | 00:00:50 | street without someone like accosting |
| 00:00:47 | 00:00:52 | him because he's that famous he runs a |
| 00:00:50 | 00:00:53 | killer YouTube channel as a master of |
| 00:00:52 | 00:00:55 | content and today we're going to find |
| 00:00:53 | 00:00:57 | out how he's managed to create such a |
| 00:00:55 | 00:01:00 | successful business so welcome Rafael |
| 00:00:57 | 00:01:02 | how you doing man well thank you Steve |
| 00:01:00 | 00:01:03 | for such a glowing introduction I think |
| 00:01:02 | 00:01:06 | I've never gotten something that |
| 00:01:03 | 00:01:09 | detailed and I also realized I haven't |
| 00:01:06 | 00:01:10 | updated our description because I'm no |
| 00:01:09 | 00:01:12 | longer the editor-in-chief and I have |
| 00:01:10 | 00:01:13 | noted in a while so where did you get |
| 00:01:12 | 00:01:17 | that no way |
| 00:01:13 | 00:01:20 | okay well it's still on the main site |
| 00:01:17 | 00:01:22 | okay when did that happen will it work |
| 00:01:20 | 00:01:25 | to do oh you know like we hired a |
| 00:01:22 | 00:01:26 | Content person a while back okay as you |
| 00:01:25 | 00:01:27 | know I know in the beginning you just |
| 00:01:26 | 00:01:29 | start |
| 00:01:27 | 00:01:31 | on your own and you do everything and |
| 00:01:29 | 00:01:33 | you wear all hats and then yeah |
| 00:01:31 | 00:01:35 | it just gets too much and I realize that |
| 00:01:33 | 00:01:37 | burned out and it was actually toking |
| 00:01:35 | 00:01:38 | to Antonio you know he was like well |
| 00:01:37 | 00:01:41 | you're still doing everything yourself |
| 00:01:38 | 00:01:43 | and I'm like yeah it's like well I have |
| 00:01:41 | 00:01:47 | these virtual assistants and it really |
| 00:01:43 | 00:01:50 | has transformed my business was like hmm |
| 00:01:47 | 00:01:52 | tell me more about that and yeah I I |
| 00:01:50 | 00:01:54 | also fondly remember influential because |
| 00:01:52 | 00:01:57 | I I that was when we really had time to |
| 00:01:54 | 00:01:59 | tok and connect yeah because we hang |
| 00:01:57 | 00:02:00 | out there I think you're so popular at |
| 00:01:59 | 00:02:03 | e-commerce fuel you know there's so many |
| 00:02:00 | 00:02:06 | old and well-known faces that when I |
| 00:02:03 | 00:02:08 | didn't know you and it wasn't like we |
| 00:02:06 | 00:02:10 | had just three hours over lunch that we |
| 00:02:08 | 00:02:12 | could tok right so that's true I I |
| 00:02:10 | 00:02:13 | really enjoyed it I enjoyed that but |
| 00:02:12 | 00:02:15 | again you are constantly accosted by |
| 00:02:13 | 00:02:17 | random people who want a picture with |
| 00:02:15 | 00:02:19 | you I remember at clavio like oh is it |
| 00:02:17 | 00:02:20 | okay if I take a picture I'm like who is |
| 00:02:19 | 00:02:23 | this guy |
| 00:02:20 | 00:02:25 | yeah it's when you have a YouTube |
| 00:02:23 | 00:02:26 | channel right it's like I remember in |
| 00:02:25 | 00:02:28 | the beginning it was a very interesting |
| 00:02:26 | 00:02:29 | concept because we we started with |
| 00:02:28 | 00:02:30 | written content because you know what we |
| 00:02:29 | 00:02:33 | started in 2010 and blogging was the |
| 00:02:30 | 00:02:35 | thing yeah and then I remember doing |
| 00:02:33 | 00:02:37 | surveys on the side it's like hey what |
| 00:02:35 | 00:02:38 | would you like more content of and in |
| 00:02:37 | 00:02:40 | the back of my head I was like well |
| 00:02:38 | 00:02:42 | they're gonna want video and then I got |
| 00:02:40 | 00:02:44 | back to survey results and it was like |
| 00:02:42 | 00:02:46 | we want more written content and I was |
| 00:02:44 | 00:02:48 | like huh |
| 00:02:46 | 00:02:50 | a bit disappointed and then it didn't |
| 00:02:48 | 00:02:52 | daunt on me until much later right if |
| 00:02:50 | 00:02:55 | you ask a group that comes to your site |
| 00:02:52 | 00:02:57 | because you offer written content uh |
| 00:02:55 | 00:03:00 | what they want more of they're going to |
| 00:02:57 | 00:03:02 | tell you written content now I still |
| 00:03:00 | 00:03:05 | forged ahead and we dabble in YouTube |
| 00:03:02 | 00:03:08 | early on and then didn't do it because I |
| 00:03:05 | 00:03:10 | felt like I couldn't do it as perfectly |
| 00:03:08 | 00:03:12 | as I would have wanted to and that was a |
| 00:03:10 | 00:03:16 | mistake I should have just said no just |
| 00:03:12 | 00:03:18 | do it and don't be afraid don't you know |
| 00:03:16 | 00:03:22 | let the fear take over and so we started |
| 00:03:18 | 00:03:24 | in I think 2014 2015 to really focus on |
| 00:03:22 | 00:03:26 | it and it was a transformation right now |
| 00:03:24 | 00:03:28 | people had a face |
| 00:03:26 | 00:03:31 | and and they connected over it and I |
| 00:03:28 | 00:03:33 | think that was really pivotal because |
| 00:03:31 | 00:03:35 | now we get a lot more views on YouTube |
| 00:03:33 | 00:03:37 | than on our website right yeah and if we |
| 00:03:35 | 00:03:38 | just had kept doing the same thing we |
| 00:03:37 | 00:03:42 | just would have been on the website and |
| 00:03:38 | 00:03:43 | no one would know my face really but |
| 00:03:42 | 00:03:45 | this way it's surprising sometimes you |
| 00:03:43 | 00:03:48 | know you go to UPS right or you're at |
| 00:03:45 | 00:03:51 | the like this this Chinese restaurant |
| 00:03:48 | 00:03:53 | you know very humble and you go there |
| 00:03:51 | 00:03:55 | and they're like hey I love your videos |
| 00:03:53 | 00:03:57 | or you know I'm wearing my bike helmet |
| 00:03:55 | 00:03:59 | you know all sweaty and they're like hey |
| 00:03:57 | 00:04:02 | I love your videos spin you know it's |
| 00:03:59 | 00:04:04 | just really cool to see |
| 00:04:02 | 00:04:06 | um that part of course in the last two |
| 00:04:04 | 00:04:08 | years that has toned down because I'm |
| 00:04:06 | 00:04:11 | not out and about people and about you |
| 00:04:08 | 00:04:12 | have a mask right I think once at Whole |
| 00:04:11 | 00:04:14 | Foods the guy came up to me was like hey |
| 00:04:12 | 00:04:16 | I love your YouTube videos I must I'm |
| 00:04:14 | 00:04:19 | impressed like you can see my eyes and |
| 00:04:16 | 00:04:20 | my voice that's it right well you were |
| 00:04:19 | 00:04:25 | probably well dressed I mean you stand |
| 00:04:20 | 00:04:27 | out right yeah yeah yeah I I I like |
| 00:04:25 | 00:04:29 | dressing and you automatikally stand out |
| 00:04:27 | 00:04:31 | if you don't you know if you dress |
| 00:04:29 | 00:04:33 | differently it's like oh who's that guy |
| 00:04:31 | 00:04:34 | actually I was going to ask you this I |
| 00:04:33 | 00:04:36 | was going to ask you this later but |
| 00:04:34 | 00:04:37 | let's let's cover it now so when did you |
| 00:04:36 | 00:04:39 | actually start dressing nicely my wife |
| 00:04:37 | 00:04:41 | is actually always trying to get me to |
| 00:04:39 | 00:04:43 | dress better but for me like |
| 00:04:41 | 00:04:46 | I don't know it takes a lot of effort so |
| 00:04:43 | 00:04:49 | when did you get into fashion |
| 00:04:46 | 00:04:51 | it was you know not in my childhood like |
| 00:04:49 | 00:04:53 | my parents didn't |
| 00:04:51 | 00:04:55 | um pay too much attention my dad liked |
| 00:04:53 | 00:04:58 | more like a loud unusual things you know |
| 00:04:55 | 00:05:01 | in clothes or cars or whatever my my mom |
| 00:04:58 | 00:05:03 | not at all and I just got you know |
| 00:05:01 | 00:05:06 | whatever was on sale or hand-me-downs |
| 00:05:03 | 00:05:10 | really and it wasn't until I was a |
| 00:05:06 | 00:05:12 | teenager I started um buying fountain |
| 00:05:10 | 00:05:14 | pens on eBay like in Germany and I went |
| 00:05:12 | 00:05:16 | grew up in Germany so I went to school |
| 00:05:14 | 00:05:18 | there and to start riding with a |
| 00:05:16 | 00:05:20 | fountain pen No ballpoint pens all right |
| 00:05:18 | 00:05:23 | that's what you write with and so I |
| 00:05:20 | 00:05:26 | heard this brand montblongo and I on |
| 00:05:23 | 00:05:27 | eBay was pretty new back then and um |
| 00:05:26 | 00:05:30 | they didn't have any age limits so I |
| 00:05:27 | 00:05:32 | think I could sign up at the age of 14. |
| 00:05:30 | 00:05:34 | and I bought an expensive fountain pen |
| 00:05:32 | 00:05:37 | and I got it and I was like |
| 00:05:34 | 00:05:40 | this doesn't actually |
| 00:05:37 | 00:05:44 | write better than my five dollar Lamy |
| 00:05:40 | 00:05:45 | School pen so I sold it again |
| 00:05:44 | 00:05:48 | and I made twice as much money and it |
| 00:05:45 | 00:05:51 | was like wait a second so I quit my |
| 00:05:48 | 00:05:52 | Paperboy job and I started buying |
| 00:05:51 | 00:05:55 | fountain pens and selling them on eBay |
| 00:05:52 | 00:05:59 | and that was my job that's how I made |
| 00:05:55 | 00:06:02 | money and so I would buy lots of stuff |
| 00:05:59 | 00:06:04 | and then sell them individually and I |
| 00:06:02 | 00:06:06 | once got a pair of cufflinks because |
| 00:06:04 | 00:06:08 | Mont below also made cufflinks and I was |
| 00:06:06 | 00:06:10 | like well what did I do with that I |
| 00:06:08 | 00:06:14 | probably can't sell that I was like oh I |
| 00:06:10 | 00:06:16 | need a shirt for cufflinks oh now I have |
| 00:06:14 | 00:06:18 | the shirt with a French cuff and |
| 00:06:16 | 00:06:20 | cufflinks what do I do next and then I |
| 00:06:18 | 00:06:22 | found this book called gentlemen from |
| 00:06:20 | 00:06:25 | Bernhardt roots and this kind of whole |
| 00:06:22 | 00:06:27 | world kind of opened up for me and that |
| 00:06:25 | 00:06:29 | my interest evolved and I was like wow |
| 00:06:27 | 00:06:33 | this is this is awesome |
| 00:06:29 | 00:06:36 | hmm I remember toking to Antonio so I |
| 00:06:33 | 00:06:37 | don't know how you meant Antonio but I |
| 00:06:36 | 00:06:40 | was at an event I think it was blog |
| 00:06:37 | 00:06:41 | world and then all of a sudden I I had |
| 00:06:40 | 00:06:43 | no idea who in tune it was this really |
| 00:06:41 | 00:06:46 | well-dressed guy just sits next to me |
| 00:06:43 | 00:06:48 | and he says hey Steve what's up |
| 00:06:46 | 00:06:50 | and I was like who is this but he was |
| 00:06:48 | 00:06:51 | well dressed and he you know and Tony is |
| 00:06:50 | 00:06:53 | really confident right |
| 00:06:51 | 00:06:55 | and so we just started chatting and then |
| 00:06:53 | 00:06:57 | we became friends and then we started |
| 00:06:55 | 00:07:00 | toking about fashion |
| 00:06:57 | 00:07:01 | and I asked him hey you know you're like |
| 00:07:00 | 00:07:03 | the best dressed guy here he's like yeah |
| 00:07:01 | 00:07:05 | um the reason I do that is because it |
| 00:07:03 | 00:07:08 | gives me confidence and I stand out |
| 00:07:05 | 00:07:10 | right is that like a similar thing for |
| 00:07:08 | 00:07:13 | you at conferences and events also or |
| 00:07:10 | 00:07:16 | you know when I when I started right it |
| 00:07:13 | 00:07:18 | was it came from this like interest and |
| 00:07:16 | 00:07:20 | passion I'm a highly curious person and |
| 00:07:18 | 00:07:21 | then I also just wanted to learn more |
| 00:07:20 | 00:07:25 | about it |
| 00:07:21 | 00:07:27 | reflecting now I think it is definitely |
| 00:07:25 | 00:07:30 | a big part of it right it's like this |
| 00:07:27 | 00:07:32 | when you stand out in a way you're known |
| 00:07:30 | 00:07:33 | for and I notiked that when I'm you know |
| 00:07:32 | 00:07:35 | in London or whatever like people come |
| 00:07:33 | 00:07:38 | up to you and ask you for directions |
| 00:07:35 | 00:07:41 | right and I what I realize is |
| 00:07:38 | 00:07:43 | we all judge right we're like hey don't |
| 00:07:41 | 00:07:46 | judge we don't want to judge but we all |
| 00:07:43 | 00:07:47 | do it happens in like micro seconds and |
| 00:07:46 | 00:07:49 | we're not even aware of it right you're |
| 00:07:47 | 00:07:52 | like oh this is well-dressed man you |
| 00:07:49 | 00:07:55 | know he's probably trustworthy he's Rich |
| 00:07:52 | 00:07:58 | you know like all these associations we |
| 00:07:55 | 00:08:00 | have come through and there is a benefit |
| 00:07:58 | 00:08:02 | to that now it just happens to a line |
| 00:08:00 | 00:08:04 | with an interest no I didn't come from |
| 00:08:02 | 00:08:07 | that angle I think Antonio is much more |
| 00:08:04 | 00:08:10 | scientifically interested right yeah so |
| 00:08:07 | 00:08:12 | we're we came from different angles but |
| 00:08:10 | 00:08:14 | we both fully understand the power of it |
| 00:08:12 | 00:08:16 | and yeah when you go to a conference |
| 00:08:14 | 00:08:17 | right people it's like oh this there's |
| 00:08:16 | 00:08:19 | that well-dressed guy that walks around |
| 00:08:17 | 00:08:22 | you gotta meet him right and so it's |
| 00:08:19 | 00:08:25 | very easy for people to |
| 00:08:22 | 00:08:27 | memor like remember you yeah |
| 00:08:25 | 00:08:30 | I see this guy I know who he is ah yes |
| 00:08:27 | 00:08:32 | right versus if you're just one out of |
| 00:08:30 | 00:08:33 | many you have to stand out in a |
| 00:08:32 | 00:08:36 | different way |
| 00:08:33 | 00:08:38 | I usually Stand Out by saying random |
| 00:08:36 | 00:08:40 | stuff and being loudmouth maybe your |
| 00:08:38 | 00:08:42 | your method's probably better I'm |
| 00:08:40 | 00:08:44 | guessing uh you know what's funny though |
| 00:08:42 | 00:08:46 | is it's one thing to |
| 00:08:44 | 00:08:49 | to be well dressed but it's another |
| 00:08:46 | 00:08:50 | thing to actually sell men's apparel |
| 00:08:49 | 00:08:53 | which in my opinion is actually one of |
| 00:08:50 | 00:08:55 | the hardest things to sell online |
| 00:08:53 | 00:08:59 | right really yeah I mean think about it |
| 00:08:55 | 00:09:01 | every store sells men's apparel so when |
| 00:08:59 | 00:09:04 | did you actually start the store did the |
| 00:09:01 | 00:09:06 | YouTube and the content come first or |
| 00:09:04 | 00:09:10 | did the store come first |
| 00:09:06 | 00:09:13 | um actually the the block came first it |
| 00:09:10 | 00:09:16 | was okay no I was I came to the US in |
| 00:09:13 | 00:09:18 | 2009 as an exchange student I went to |
| 00:09:16 | 00:09:21 | law school I realized I hated it I hated |
| 00:09:18 | 00:09:22 | it but I I still came because it was an |
| 00:09:21 | 00:09:24 | opportunity for me to come through yes |
| 00:09:22 | 00:09:26 | and get a degree I had met my wife in |
| 00:09:24 | 00:09:31 | 2006 during an exchange semester so we |
| 00:09:26 | 00:09:32 | got married and then I uh couldn't work |
| 00:09:31 | 00:09:35 | because I didn't have a work permit and |
| 00:09:32 | 00:09:37 | I was like well what do I do now it was |
| 00:09:35 | 00:09:40 | 2009 2010 you know no one hired anyone |
| 00:09:37 | 00:09:44 | let alone a foreigner without work |
| 00:09:40 | 00:09:47 | experience and so I was like let's do |
| 00:09:44 | 00:09:49 | this block thing and then was like Hey I |
| 00:09:47 | 00:09:51 | I |
| 00:09:49 | 00:09:53 | how I was like how long does it take to |
| 00:09:51 | 00:09:55 | make a hundred thousand dollars I was |
| 00:09:53 | 00:09:58 | like if you do it well about five years |
| 00:09:55 | 00:09:59 | and my wife was supportive of me and |
| 00:09:58 | 00:10:02 | said I believe in you I think you can do |
| 00:09:59 | 00:10:04 | this I'm gonna now do the day job and |
| 00:10:02 | 00:10:06 | make some money and then we can figure |
| 00:10:04 | 00:10:07 | it out was like cool let's do this and |
| 00:10:06 | 00:10:10 | then you know I would write about stuff |
| 00:10:07 | 00:10:12 | and it's like oh where did you get this |
| 00:10:10 | 00:10:15 | pair of glass from was like flea market |
| 00:10:12 | 00:10:17 | in Vienna right not not really useful |
| 00:10:15 | 00:10:19 | and |
| 00:10:17 | 00:10:21 | then I was like well maybe we could |
| 00:10:19 | 00:10:23 | create that stuff because I know in my |
| 00:10:21 | 00:10:25 | spare time I had visited shoemakers and |
| 00:10:23 | 00:10:26 | shirt makers and umbrella makers and it |
| 00:10:25 | 00:10:28 | was just a hobby and was like well I |
| 00:10:26 | 00:10:31 | already have contacts I know where I |
| 00:10:28 | 00:10:34 | could get that people don't so why not |
| 00:10:31 | 00:10:35 | create something out of this and I |
| 00:10:34 | 00:10:37 | didn't you know I didn't go to business |
| 00:10:35 | 00:10:39 | school I didn't have any business |
| 00:10:37 | 00:10:40 | degrees I didn't think it through and |
| 00:10:39 | 00:10:42 | was like well what's a better |
| 00:10:40 | 00:10:45 | opportunity I didn't have a community of |
| 00:10:42 | 00:10:47 | entrepreneurs that I could tap into and |
| 00:10:45 | 00:10:50 | I I thought oh well you know we already |
| 00:10:47 | 00:10:52 | have this this content site and we have |
| 00:10:50 | 00:10:54 | followers that people are going to love |
| 00:10:52 | 00:10:56 | our stuff and it's just gonna fly off |
| 00:10:54 | 00:10:58 | the shelf and they're gonna buy it and |
| 00:10:56 | 00:11:01 | I I was wrong |
| 00:10:58 | 00:11:02 | um it took us like a year to kind of |
| 00:11:01 | 00:11:05 | just develop everything and I remember |
| 00:11:02 | 00:11:07 | you know renting |
| 00:11:05 | 00:11:08 | space in a self-storage facility and |
| 00:11:07 | 00:11:10 | have products in there because not |
| 00:11:08 | 00:11:11 | everything came and |
| 00:11:10 | 00:11:14 | I'm not a naturally a good project |
| 00:11:11 | 00:11:16 | manager so it you know it dragged out |
| 00:11:14 | 00:11:20 | but I think we first started selling in |
| 00:11:16 | 00:11:23 | I think 2014 but we first conceptualized |
| 00:11:20 | 00:11:25 | the idea in 2012 and um this eBay |
| 00:11:23 | 00:11:27 | experience I had earlier really helped |
| 00:11:25 | 00:11:29 | me because I I what I realized was I |
| 00:11:27 | 00:11:32 | like the marketing I like the the |
| 00:11:29 | 00:11:35 | photography and I hated waiting in line |
| 00:11:32 | 00:11:37 | at the post office to ship something and |
| 00:11:35 | 00:11:41 | to pack things up and so from the very |
| 00:11:37 | 00:11:42 | first day we worked with a 3pl which I |
| 00:11:41 | 00:11:44 | think a lot of times people don't do |
| 00:11:42 | 00:11:46 | they're kind of self-fulfill yeah and so |
| 00:11:44 | 00:11:48 | I skipped that step because of that past |
| 00:11:46 | 00:11:51 | experience |
| 00:11:48 | 00:11:54 | and then once we had the e-commerce |
| 00:11:51 | 00:11:57 | Channel we did YouTube and at the time |
| 00:11:54 | 00:12:00 | in Shopify was tiknically around but it |
| 00:11:57 | 00:12:02 | was not known at all at least not to me |
| 00:12:00 | 00:12:03 | so we started with Magento because I |
| 00:12:02 | 00:12:05 | looked at all the platforms and I was |
| 00:12:03 | 00:12:07 | like well if we ever have to upgrade to |
| 00:12:05 | 00:12:08 | Enterprise version or whatever I'm |
| 00:12:07 | 00:12:09 | already in the same platform and the |
| 00:12:08 | 00:12:12 | transition is probably going to be |
| 00:12:09 | 00:12:15 | easier and so that's what we that's what |
| 00:12:12 | 00:12:19 | we chose Magento are you still a Magento |
| 00:12:15 | 00:12:21 | we're still on Magento wow okay I |
| 00:12:19 | 00:12:23 | remember evaluating shopping carts and |
| 00:12:21 | 00:12:25 | magenta was on my list because back then |
| 00:12:23 | 00:12:26 | it was you know like the standard for |
| 00:12:25 | 00:12:27 | larger shops but then I looked at the |
| 00:12:26 | 00:12:30 | code |
| 00:12:27 | 00:12:32 | and it was really hard to understand |
| 00:12:30 | 00:12:34 | and then uh you required Hefty hosting |
| 00:12:32 | 00:12:36 | and had all these little quirks so I |
| 00:12:34 | 00:12:38 | actually skipped skipped the Magento but |
| 00:12:36 | 00:12:39 | Power two yeah yeah I I think you know |
| 00:12:38 | 00:12:41 | if you start today |
| 00:12:39 | 00:12:43 | most people will start there right |
| 00:12:41 | 00:12:46 | because it's just it's easy it's it's |
| 00:12:43 | 00:12:48 | lower Stakes it scales there's so much |
| 00:12:46 | 00:12:50 | you don't have to worry about but at the |
| 00:12:48 | 00:12:51 | time I didn't know that was an option |
| 00:12:50 | 00:12:52 | and then you know once they're in the |
| 00:12:51 | 00:12:54 | system you're like well we're doing all |
| 00:12:52 | 00:12:56 | these things what's the cost of |
| 00:12:54 | 00:12:59 | switching now and I'm still revaluating |
| 00:12:56 | 00:13:00 | I'm not married to a magenta or anything |
| 00:12:59 | 00:13:03 | um but it was also like we had this good |
| 00:13:00 | 00:13:04 | team you know I felt like they were |
| 00:13:03 | 00:13:06 | really on top of things it was really |
| 00:13:04 | 00:13:10 | affordable like you know doing the math |
| 00:13:06 | 00:13:12 | yep or SAS apps versus you know one-time |
| 00:13:10 | 00:13:14 | payment apps versus |
| 00:13:12 | 00:13:16 | how much do I pay per year to maintain |
| 00:13:14 | 00:13:18 | it but there's lots of things that go |
| 00:13:16 | 00:13:19 | into it and yeah you don't have to tell |
| 00:13:18 | 00:13:22 | me that I'm actually still on an open |
| 00:13:19 | 00:13:25 | source shopping cart myself uh I never |
| 00:13:22 | 00:13:27 | made the switch to Shopify and uh |
| 00:13:25 | 00:13:29 | it's free I I have to touch it maybe |
| 00:13:27 | 00:13:32 | once every five years five to ten years |
| 00:13:29 | 00:13:35 | to do an upgrade so it hasn't been that |
| 00:13:32 | 00:13:39 | bad I'm curious with your blog so you |
| 00:13:35 | 00:13:42 | started that you said in 2012 or |
| 00:13:39 | 00:13:45 | um I started in 2010 2010 okay February |
| 00:13:42 | 00:13:47 | 2010. how long did it take you for that |
| 00:13:45 | 00:13:48 | to take off I mean you had a Five-Year |
| 00:13:47 | 00:13:50 | Plan you said but |
| 00:13:48 | 00:13:53 | did you hit six figures earlier than |
| 00:13:50 | 00:13:55 | that yes yes way earlier and so then we |
| 00:13:53 | 00:13:57 | were like let's do this this other stuff |
| 00:13:55 | 00:14:01 | because in the beginning we had you know |
| 00:13:57 | 00:14:04 | private advertisers like you know brands |
| 00:14:01 | 00:14:07 | in our space like that you wouldn't |
| 00:14:04 | 00:14:09 | value the content and the audience so |
| 00:14:07 | 00:14:13 | that's how we kind of |
| 00:14:09 | 00:14:14 | um made our money early on was ads okay |
| 00:14:13 | 00:14:16 | for a while I thought maybe you know |
| 00:14:14 | 00:14:20 | we're gonna do it like Huffington Post |
| 00:14:16 | 00:14:23 | and since we started with um 300 each |
| 00:14:20 | 00:14:26 | like I put in 300 and Teresa to 300 so |
| 00:14:23 | 00:14:28 | 600 total I think in 2011 we founded the |
| 00:14:26 | 00:14:31 | LLC with that Capital |
| 00:14:28 | 00:14:34 | um we were like well yeah we'll |
| 00:14:31 | 00:14:36 | we can't buy traffic we can't buy links |
| 00:14:34 | 00:14:39 | or anything we'll just |
| 00:14:36 | 00:14:42 | do organic traffic that was the strategy |
| 00:14:39 | 00:14:43 | organic traffic and in the beginning it |
| 00:14:42 | 00:14:47 | worked really well because I know you'd |
| 00:14:43 | 00:14:48 | optimize stuff and and I was like I'll |
| 00:14:47 | 00:14:50 | post every day and then I realized you |
| 00:14:48 | 00:14:52 | know I'm gonna burn out |
| 00:14:50 | 00:14:55 | and let's do |
| 00:14:52 | 00:14:58 | I want to be the best piece of content |
| 00:14:55 | 00:14:59 | on this given topic I write about in the |
| 00:14:58 | 00:15:00 | beginning it worked super well but then |
| 00:14:59 | 00:15:04 | after a while |
| 00:15:00 | 00:15:07 | you realize you know your old posts lose |
| 00:15:04 | 00:15:09 | in the sharp results so you have to redo |
| 00:15:07 | 00:15:11 | them or do something else with them and |
| 00:15:09 | 00:15:14 | then you always have some that gain and |
| 00:15:11 | 00:15:16 | others that lose so net you maybe just |
| 00:15:14 | 00:15:18 | shrink or you maybe increase very |
| 00:15:16 | 00:15:20 | slightly but I think that was our |
| 00:15:18 | 00:15:24 | competitive Advantage understanding SEO |
| 00:15:20 | 00:15:27 | early on and also I |
| 00:15:24 | 00:15:29 | I never kind of succumbed to these like |
| 00:15:27 | 00:15:32 | short-term |
| 00:15:29 | 00:15:34 | fixes or gains like you know because in |
| 00:15:32 | 00:15:36 | the early days you could really like you |
| 00:15:34 | 00:15:39 | could game it add more keywords to your |
| 00:15:36 | 00:15:41 | stuff right and I had read about |
| 00:15:39 | 00:15:44 | um like a Sergey Brin and like that they |
| 00:15:41 | 00:15:46 | modeled Google after academic journals |
| 00:15:44 | 00:15:49 | and the idea was that |
| 00:15:46 | 00:15:51 | they wanted people to they became more |
| 00:15:49 | 00:15:52 | important and more often they were cited |
| 00:15:51 | 00:15:54 | right if you're cited by a famous |
| 00:15:52 | 00:15:57 | journal or by New York Times you become |
| 00:15:54 | 00:15:59 | more important yourself and they're like |
| 00:15:57 | 00:16:01 | long term our vision is to provide the |
| 00:15:59 | 00:16:03 | best search results for humans and so |
| 00:16:01 | 00:16:06 | that was my Approach I was like if we |
| 00:16:03 | 00:16:09 | write really good content for humans I |
| 00:16:06 | 00:16:11 | will never have to go back and make all |
| 00:16:09 | 00:16:13 | these changes that I just did for search |
| 00:16:11 | 00:16:15 | engines but not for humans so that has |
| 00:16:13 | 00:16:16 | always been our approach now doesn't |
| 00:16:15 | 00:16:18 | mean you never have to go back and |
| 00:16:16 | 00:16:21 | update things no because you know we |
| 00:16:18 | 00:16:23 | grow we learn we add questions and all |
| 00:16:21 | 00:16:26 | that stuff but I think overall that |
| 00:16:23 | 00:16:29 | helped us grow pretty quickly |
| 00:16:26 | 00:16:31 | so you had these blogs that were ranking |
| 00:16:29 | 00:16:33 | in Search and then you had Brands |
| 00:16:31 | 00:16:35 | advertising you mentioned when you first |
| 00:16:33 | 00:16:37 | launched your eCommerce store which was |
| 00:16:35 | 00:16:39 | the logical step right because people |
| 00:16:37 | 00:16:41 | were asking for these products why did |
| 00:16:39 | 00:16:44 | it not work out in the beginning |
| 00:16:41 | 00:16:47 | I think you know our egos or my ego told |
| 00:16:44 | 00:16:49 | me like wow you know you have to use |
| 00:16:47 | 00:16:52 | thousands of people who come to your |
| 00:16:49 | 00:16:54 | website you know if I look at a |
| 00:16:52 | 00:16:56 | conversion rate of one percent you know |
| 00:16:54 | 00:16:59 | at an average order value of that I |
| 00:16:56 | 00:17:01 | should get X and then when you actually |
| 00:16:59 | 00:17:03 | had the shop and it was less than that |
| 00:17:01 | 00:17:05 | you're like oh you know yeah because |
| 00:17:03 | 00:17:10 | these people come for Content they don't |
| 00:17:05 | 00:17:13 | come to shop necessarily right and just |
| 00:17:10 | 00:17:15 | because they know |
| 00:17:13 | 00:17:18 | or I thought they would know me and know |
| 00:17:15 | 00:17:20 | the brand and and trust it like that |
| 00:17:18 | 00:17:23 | wasn't enough I realized no you actually |
| 00:17:20 | 00:17:26 | need a really robust Marketing System |
| 00:17:23 | 00:17:29 | and at the time we had |
| 00:17:26 | 00:17:32 | um I found like infusion soft oh okay |
| 00:17:29 | 00:17:35 | and I found a a company that integrated |
| 00:17:32 | 00:17:38 | Infusionsoft with Magento so we had |
| 00:17:35 | 00:17:40 | quite a bit of data and kind of you know |
| 00:17:38 | 00:17:42 | I felt for the size of our business were |
| 00:17:40 | 00:17:44 | quite advanced in that field with |
| 00:17:42 | 00:17:46 | automated email |
| 00:17:44 | 00:17:49 | flows or sequences or whatever you want |
| 00:17:46 | 00:17:50 | to call it campaigns yeah um that was |
| 00:17:49 | 00:17:52 | pretty good but I just realized too it's |
| 00:17:50 | 00:17:56 | like you know you need to have |
| 00:17:52 | 00:17:57 | supporting content and really kind of |
| 00:17:56 | 00:18:00 | show people |
| 00:17:57 | 00:18:02 | what they get when they buy from you and |
| 00:18:00 | 00:18:06 | what they get when they buy from others |
| 00:18:02 | 00:18:08 | and then let them decide right but we |
| 00:18:06 | 00:18:10 | didn't have like a |
| 00:18:08 | 00:18:12 | well thought out marketing plan you know |
| 00:18:10 | 00:18:14 | in our our photos were like white |
| 00:18:12 | 00:18:17 | background and it occurred to me that |
| 00:18:14 | 00:18:20 | maybe the clothes should be shown on |
| 00:18:17 | 00:18:21 | people in a environment that people |
| 00:18:20 | 00:18:23 | would like to be in you know I just |
| 00:18:21 | 00:18:25 | looked around and was like people do |
| 00:18:23 | 00:18:27 | white background stuff so that's what I |
| 00:18:25 | 00:18:30 | have to do right but I I didn't know I |
| 00:18:27 | 00:18:33 | didn't have mentors that it was really |
| 00:18:30 | 00:18:36 | all a lot of trial and error |
| 00:18:33 | 00:18:37 | I'm just curious though so you have this |
| 00:18:36 | 00:18:39 | site and you're selling men's apparel I |
| 00:18:37 | 00:18:42 | notike you sell like shoes and stuff too |
| 00:18:39 | 00:18:45 | right with sizing ever a problem |
| 00:18:42 | 00:18:47 | um we it that was a consideration we |
| 00:18:45 | 00:18:49 | made and we we did not sell shoes |
| 00:18:47 | 00:18:52 | um on the website we for a brief moments |
| 00:18:49 | 00:18:54 | like sold them try to sell them offline |
| 00:18:52 | 00:18:56 | but at the beginning you know we had |
| 00:18:54 | 00:18:58 | this limited amount of capital |
| 00:18:56 | 00:19:00 | and we made some money with advertising |
| 00:18:58 | 00:19:03 | but it was like man it's |
| 00:19:00 | 00:19:05 | this is so expensive starting a product |
| 00:19:03 | 00:19:07 | range from scratch and |
| 00:19:05 | 00:19:10 | Amazon was around at the time yeah and I |
| 00:19:07 | 00:19:13 | was like well as a small fish like us |
| 00:19:10 | 00:19:16 | we cannot compete with them on Logistiks |
| 00:19:13 | 00:19:19 | price or anything what we can do is |
| 00:19:16 | 00:19:20 | compete on quality and I also felt like |
| 00:19:19 | 00:19:23 | there was stuff that I couldn't find in |
| 00:19:20 | 00:19:25 | the market and I wanted to provide that |
| 00:19:23 | 00:19:28 | so it was very clear that we wanted to |
| 00:19:25 | 00:19:30 | have our own brand and not just slap our |
| 00:19:28 | 00:19:32 | name on something that you could find |
| 00:19:30 | 00:19:34 | elsewhere but that it was unique to us |
| 00:19:32 | 00:19:36 | and defensible and maybe that was |
| 00:19:34 | 00:19:38 | Superman was always this idea of |
| 00:19:36 | 00:19:40 | if you do it the hard way it's more |
| 00:19:38 | 00:19:41 | defensible because people will not be |
| 00:19:40 | 00:19:44 | interested because they want to do it |
| 00:19:41 | 00:19:47 | the easy way right so I felt long term |
| 00:19:44 | 00:19:49 | that was a better thing to defend I mean |
| 00:19:47 | 00:19:51 | what in my head right that's what I |
| 00:19:49 | 00:19:54 | that's what I thought I actually 100 |
| 00:19:51 | 00:19:57 | believe in that okay yeah yeah and it |
| 00:19:54 | 00:19:58 | just you know that was the strategy I |
| 00:19:57 | 00:20:00 | developed there with Teresa like okay |
| 00:19:58 | 00:20:02 | that's I think the path we want to do it |
| 00:20:00 | 00:20:04 | was also the most personally satisfying |
| 00:20:02 | 00:20:06 | path right like creating your own |
| 00:20:04 | 00:20:08 | product exactly to your specifications |
| 00:20:06 | 00:20:10 | it's much more fulfilling than just |
| 00:20:08 | 00:20:12 | buying something from someone and and |
| 00:20:10 | 00:20:14 | put something on and I realized you know |
| 00:20:12 | 00:20:15 | money wasn't my only driver I realized |
| 00:20:14 | 00:20:17 | it early on because there were like you |
| 00:20:15 | 00:20:18 | know supplement stuff and you could do |
| 00:20:17 | 00:20:21 | and I was like you know that doesn't |
| 00:20:18 | 00:20:23 | jive with me yes we all want money and |
| 00:20:21 | 00:20:26 | it's great but it's not what really kind |
| 00:20:23 | 00:20:28 | of made me do things and I've especially |
| 00:20:26 | 00:20:30 | one of you I always had this long-term |
| 00:20:28 | 00:20:32 | Vision right so then |
| 00:20:30 | 00:20:34 | I didn't care so much about can I make a |
| 00:20:32 | 00:20:35 | quick Buck here now because I was |
| 00:20:34 | 00:20:36 | fortunate enough to be the position |
| 00:20:35 | 00:20:39 | where we were |
| 00:20:36 | 00:20:41 | we had enough to live by right I would I |
| 00:20:39 | 00:20:43 | remember early on we sometimes like |
| 00:20:41 | 00:20:44 | there was this food shelf and the |
| 00:20:43 | 00:20:46 | neighbor was like well they've all had |
| 00:20:44 | 00:20:47 | stuff they don't use it was like well |
| 00:20:46 | 00:20:49 | I'll go there I'll get the fujillo free |
| 00:20:47 | 00:20:51 | checks why not you know like save some |
| 00:20:49 | 00:20:54 | money uh can put more money into |
| 00:20:51 | 00:20:56 | business and stuff so yeah I was always |
| 00:20:54 | 00:20:58 | very resourceful let's put it that way |
| 00:20:56 | 00:21:00 | in the beginning you said you were |
| 00:20:58 | 00:21:03 | selling other people's Brands was that |
| 00:21:00 | 00:21:05 | was that in the beginning or north we |
| 00:21:03 | 00:21:06 | never sold other people's Brands oh yeah |
| 00:21:05 | 00:21:08 | it's always your own brand okay on the |
| 00:21:06 | 00:21:12 | get-go it was our own brand because that |
| 00:21:08 | 00:21:13 | we were like let's do that and let's |
| 00:21:12 | 00:21:15 | have just that and then was like what |
| 00:21:13 | 00:21:17 | shall we name it and and Theresa was |
| 00:21:15 | 00:21:19 | like well English country house and was |
| 00:21:17 | 00:21:21 | like well how is it connected to to |
| 00:21:19 | 00:21:23 | close and then Fort Belvedere is the |
| 00:21:21 | 00:21:25 | house of the Duke of Windsor who was a |
| 00:21:23 | 00:21:27 | very kind of rakish Dandy always |
| 00:21:25 | 00:21:30 | well-dressed most photographing of the |
| 00:21:27 | 00:21:32 | world in the 30s which is you know in a |
| 00:21:30 | 00:21:34 | classic style realm considered to be the |
| 00:21:32 | 00:21:35 | Golden Era of men's style so it's like |
| 00:21:34 | 00:21:37 | oh that's a good connection I know |
| 00:21:35 | 00:21:39 | domain was available trademark was |
| 00:21:37 | 00:21:40 | available I went to law school so I |
| 00:21:39 | 00:21:43 | thought about that right that's right |
| 00:21:40 | 00:21:45 | yeah nice can we can we do that yeah for |
| 00:21:43 | 00:21:47 | the gentleman's Gazette I hadn't thought |
| 00:21:45 | 00:21:49 | about that yet quite then and then that |
| 00:21:47 | 00:21:51 | was harder to get because they were like |
| 00:21:49 | 00:21:53 | well Gazette for gentlemen |
| 00:21:51 | 00:21:56 | what were your first best-selling |
| 00:21:53 | 00:21:57 | products I think in the beginning I had |
| 00:21:56 | 00:21:58 | this friend and he was like well when |
| 00:21:57 | 00:22:00 | you go to a store |
| 00:21:58 | 00:22:01 | you don't just want to walk in and have |
| 00:22:00 | 00:22:03 | one product |
| 00:22:01 | 00:22:04 | so it was very clear for me that we |
| 00:22:03 | 00:22:05 | didn't just want to be a one product |
| 00:22:04 | 00:22:08 | brand |
| 00:22:05 | 00:22:09 | one thing that I was most proud of and |
| 00:22:08 | 00:22:12 | was the most unique one and I also think |
| 00:22:09 | 00:22:14 | we sold the most was in boutonniere |
| 00:22:12 | 00:22:16 | flowers it's like flour I don't have one |
| 00:22:14 | 00:22:19 | today but you wear it through your lapel |
| 00:22:16 | 00:22:22 | hole basically and I had my wife |
| 00:22:19 | 00:22:23 | simulator went on a cruise |
| 00:22:22 | 00:22:25 | and I had never been in a cruise and we |
| 00:22:23 | 00:22:27 | weren't there anywhere a tuxedo and |
| 00:22:25 | 00:22:30 | black tie and I was like well I'd like |
| 00:22:27 | 00:22:32 | to wear a flower but on a cruise ship |
| 00:22:30 | 00:22:34 | you know the flower selection is limited |
| 00:22:32 | 00:22:36 | so I once had this like gigantik big |
| 00:22:34 | 00:22:39 | roast that stood up straight I was like |
| 00:22:36 | 00:22:41 | well that doesn't look like in the 30s |
| 00:22:39 | 00:22:43 | and I was like well what what would it |
| 00:22:41 | 00:22:44 | take to make boutonnieres that look like |
| 00:22:43 | 00:22:46 | flowers that I could bring on a cruise |
| 00:22:44 | 00:22:49 | and that's how that developed and so |
| 00:22:46 | 00:22:51 | that was really like that market I don't |
| 00:22:49 | 00:22:52 | think was super developed it was its |
| 00:22:51 | 00:22:55 | infancy right I'm not saying no one else |
| 00:22:52 | 00:22:57 | had done that before but the way we did |
| 00:22:55 | 00:23:00 | it was really a first and and we sold |
| 00:22:57 | 00:23:02 | that well but even there we had to kind |
| 00:23:00 | 00:23:05 | of you know promote it and show it to |
| 00:23:02 | 00:23:07 | people see what's going on and I I |
| 00:23:05 | 00:23:10 | realized everything we saw in the |
| 00:23:07 | 00:23:12 | beginning didn't sell well until we put |
| 00:23:10 | 00:23:16 | a lot of marketing behind it marketing |
| 00:23:12 | 00:23:19 | as in paid or YouTube no paid marketing |
| 00:23:16 | 00:23:20 | no paid marking okay because for us we |
| 00:23:19 | 00:23:23 | always felt like |
| 00:23:20 | 00:23:26 | it was expensive and it changed so much |
| 00:23:23 | 00:23:29 | that I felt like I had to invest so much |
| 00:23:26 | 00:23:32 | energy in keeping up with the changes |
| 00:23:29 | 00:23:33 | that and in my opinion that's always |
| 00:23:32 | 00:23:35 | something that people |
| 00:23:33 | 00:23:37 | often don't calculate in their ad spend |
| 00:23:35 | 00:23:38 | so like I'm spending that much I'm |
| 00:23:37 | 00:23:41 | getting that Roi and that's my cost of |
| 00:23:38 | 00:23:43 | acquisition well how much do all these |
| 00:23:41 | 00:23:46 | people cost that you have to be involve |
| 00:23:43 | 00:23:48 | in this process which is quite a bit I |
| 00:23:46 | 00:23:50 | know a lot of e-commerce owners that |
| 00:23:48 | 00:23:52 | spend considerable amount of time yes |
| 00:23:50 | 00:23:55 | managing their ad spends and AD budgets |
| 00:23:52 | 00:23:57 | and I didn't want to do that I I was |
| 00:23:55 | 00:23:59 | like I believe more in this organic |
| 00:23:57 | 00:24:02 | realm right and just figuring it out |
| 00:23:59 | 00:24:03 | right it's like most e-commerce people I |
| 00:24:02 | 00:24:04 | think when they start out they make |
| 00:24:03 | 00:24:07 | these product videos that you would |
| 00:24:04 | 00:24:09 | typically put in a product page that are |
| 00:24:07 | 00:24:11 | just like explainer videos or feature |
| 00:24:09 | 00:24:12 | videos I call them and then after a |
| 00:24:11 | 00:24:14 | while maybe you know you realize well |
| 00:24:12 | 00:24:17 | there's other videos you could make |
| 00:24:14 | 00:24:19 | right this like what's the best pair of |
| 00:24:17 | 00:24:22 | socks right and where you compare stuff |
| 00:24:19 | 00:24:24 | and understanding what actually drives |
| 00:24:22 | 00:24:26 | sales and what doesn't right because |
| 00:24:24 | 00:24:28 | sometimes you see these super fancy |
| 00:24:26 | 00:24:32 | brand videos you know 90 minutes with |
| 00:24:28 | 00:24:34 | 120 cuts and this emotional music and |
| 00:24:32 | 00:24:35 | it's you're like wow wow this feels |
| 00:24:34 | 00:24:38 | amazing but then you look at the view |
| 00:24:35 | 00:24:40 | count and it's like 520 people watch |
| 00:24:38 | 00:24:42 | this Mike |
| 00:24:40 | 00:24:45 | you know if if there's maybe something |
| 00:24:42 | 00:24:47 | that 500 000 people can see right right |
| 00:24:45 | 00:24:50 | and it resonates with them maybe that's |
| 00:24:47 | 00:24:52 | a much better sales driver than than |
| 00:24:50 | 00:24:55 | that and then it's like what are all the |
| 00:24:52 | 00:24:56 | things we have to do right how much tax |
| 00:24:55 | 00:24:58 | do we have to write what kind of |
| 00:24:56 | 00:25:00 | pictures do we have to provide what |
| 00:24:58 | 00:25:02 | about social media how can we utilize |
| 00:25:00 | 00:25:05 | that right and |
| 00:25:02 | 00:25:07 | yeah good stuff so can we tok about |
| 00:25:05 | 00:25:10 | then which types of YouTube videos work |
| 00:25:07 | 00:25:12 | the best for you uh you mentioned best |
| 00:25:10 | 00:25:15 | ones and comparison videos what else is |
| 00:25:12 | 00:25:18 | in Your Arsenal |
| 00:25:15 | 00:25:21 | um I think what we've decided to do as |
| 00:25:18 | 00:25:24 | we know along the way was to say |
| 00:25:21 | 00:25:27 | we want to create content for a core |
| 00:25:24 | 00:25:29 | audience but if you just appeal to this |
| 00:25:27 | 00:25:33 | core audience |
| 00:25:29 | 00:25:34 | you are kind of limited to that so we |
| 00:25:33 | 00:25:36 | realized also toking to you know Eric |
| 00:25:34 | 00:25:38 | bandholtz and others |
| 00:25:36 | 00:25:41 | um to have like a three-tiered approach |
| 00:25:38 | 00:25:43 | right top of the funnel middle of the |
| 00:25:41 | 00:25:46 | funnel bottom of the funnel and then |
| 00:25:43 | 00:25:49 | just structure videos is to say well |
| 00:25:46 | 00:25:50 | what appeals to people right so we one |
| 00:25:49 | 00:25:53 | of our success most successful videos by |
| 00:25:50 | 00:25:56 | view count is is a video on table |
| 00:25:53 | 00:26:01 | manners now we don't sell anything |
| 00:25:56 | 00:26:02 | related to tableware right or Linens or |
| 00:26:01 | 00:26:05 | anything like that but our thought |
| 00:26:02 | 00:26:08 | process was that well a person |
| 00:26:05 | 00:26:10 | interested in table manners will likely |
| 00:26:08 | 00:26:12 | have an also there's a chance that |
| 00:26:10 | 00:26:15 | they're also interested in what we do |
| 00:26:12 | 00:26:17 | so we look for that kind of correlation |
| 00:26:15 | 00:26:19 | right and then a middle of the funnel |
| 00:26:17 | 00:26:21 | video could be something like best |
| 00:26:19 | 00:26:24 | wallets for men right something like |
| 00:26:21 | 00:26:26 | that and then a bottom of the funnel |
| 00:26:24 | 00:26:29 | video could be very specific you know |
| 00:26:26 | 00:26:30 | like how to identify the quality knit |
| 00:26:29 | 00:26:33 | ties |
| 00:26:30 | 00:26:34 | something like that right so you |
| 00:26:33 | 00:26:37 | you funnel it and sometimes you you |
| 00:26:34 | 00:26:38 | think a video is a certain funnel and |
| 00:26:37 | 00:26:40 | that it turns out to be |
| 00:26:38 | 00:26:43 | very different |
| 00:26:40 | 00:26:45 | one thing we notike is like if a video |
| 00:26:43 | 00:26:48 | Sparks curiosity |
| 00:26:45 | 00:26:50 | that's when you hit the jackpot because |
| 00:26:48 | 00:26:53 | YouTube basically are right there based |
| 00:26:50 | 00:26:55 | on numbers so they look at what is the |
| 00:26:53 | 00:26:58 | click-through rate from the thumbnail so |
| 00:26:55 | 00:27:00 | it's like how does a thumbnail look |
| 00:26:58 | 00:27:02 | and what is the title and then what is |
| 00:27:00 | 00:27:05 | the average watch time of the video not |
| 00:27:02 | 00:27:07 | just on this one video but how many |
| 00:27:05 | 00:27:09 | videos are people gonna watch not just |
| 00:27:07 | 00:27:10 | on your channel but overall because the |
| 00:27:09 | 00:27:13 | longer they can keep people in the |
| 00:27:10 | 00:27:15 | platform the more money they make the |
| 00:27:13 | 00:27:18 | more interested they are in showing it |
| 00:27:15 | 00:27:19 | and so when you look at it and analyze |
| 00:27:18 | 00:27:21 | that that really helped and YouTube |
| 00:27:19 | 00:27:22 | provides a lot of great information |
| 00:27:21 | 00:27:25 | where you can look at your audience |
| 00:27:22 | 00:27:27 | retention and you can see oh when I say |
| 00:27:25 | 00:27:31 | this there's a drop when I say this |
| 00:27:27 | 00:27:33 | people watch it again right and and so |
| 00:27:31 | 00:27:35 | you can same with your thumbnails you |
| 00:27:33 | 00:27:37 | can like hey I'll do this and this is my |
| 00:27:35 | 00:27:39 | click-through rate I'll do that and that |
| 00:27:37 | 00:27:42 | is my click-through rate sadly you can't |
| 00:27:39 | 00:27:43 | a b split test but you know if you do |
| 00:27:42 | 00:27:45 | what you can with a platform to figure |
| 00:27:43 | 00:27:47 | out |
| 00:27:45 | 00:27:49 | what works and what doesn't and I think |
| 00:27:47 | 00:27:51 | share with me uh one of these titles |
| 00:27:49 | 00:27:53 | that create mystery that's work with you |
| 00:27:51 | 00:27:55 | do you have any in the top of your head |
| 00:27:53 | 00:27:56 | that you remember um yeah like for |
| 00:27:55 | 00:27:59 | example we did a series um called you |
| 00:27:56 | 00:28:01 | know why did men stop wearing hats why |
| 00:27:59 | 00:28:04 | why that and that's just something |
| 00:28:01 | 00:28:07 | that's really curious for people I think |
| 00:28:04 | 00:28:08 | for e-commerce people I've you know if I |
| 00:28:07 | 00:28:09 | meet someone in e-commerce they're like |
| 00:28:08 | 00:28:10 | well we're thinking of getting into |
| 00:28:09 | 00:28:13 | video |
| 00:28:10 | 00:28:15 | I I just say no go through your customer |
| 00:28:13 | 00:28:18 | look at the 100 most asked questions |
| 00:28:15 | 00:28:20 | they ask and then make videos about that |
| 00:28:18 | 00:28:22 | right |
| 00:28:20 | 00:28:24 | don't don't |
| 00:28:22 | 00:28:26 | make a product video about the features |
| 00:28:24 | 00:28:28 | and stuff just right look at what do |
| 00:28:26 | 00:28:31 | your customers do and what's what's |
| 00:28:28 | 00:28:33 | happening and lately also it daunted on |
| 00:28:31 | 00:28:35 | me we always have the tendency to say |
| 00:28:33 | 00:28:37 | well we want a lot of people to watch |
| 00:28:35 | 00:28:40 | our videos and that's that's great but |
| 00:28:37 | 00:28:41 | actually what can happen is it can be |
| 00:28:40 | 00:28:43 | really bad for your channel so there was |
| 00:28:41 | 00:28:45 | this ladies you had to get this DIY |
| 00:28:43 | 00:28:48 | channel on YouTube and on average you've |
| 00:28:45 | 00:28:49 | got about 150 to 200 000 views on her |
| 00:28:48 | 00:28:52 | videos in the first week |
| 00:28:49 | 00:28:55 | well now coveted she made a video about |
| 00:28:52 | 00:28:57 | DIY masks right we're like well DIY no |
| 00:28:55 | 00:29:01 | Mass super popular right now so the |
| 00:28:57 | 00:29:03 | video blew up super successful well now |
| 00:29:01 | 00:29:07 | subsequently when she brought her |
| 00:29:03 | 00:29:10 | regular DIY videos out people started uh |
| 00:29:07 | 00:29:11 | YouTube recommended those new videos to |
| 00:29:10 | 00:29:13 | the audience who also watched a DIY mask |
| 00:29:11 | 00:29:15 | video and they're like nah I don't care |
| 00:29:13 | 00:29:17 | for that so then YouTube sees extremely |
| 00:29:15 | 00:29:19 | low click-through rate oh people don't |
| 00:29:17 | 00:29:21 | like that |
| 00:29:19 | 00:29:23 | and now she only gets about 20 000 views |
| 00:29:21 | 00:29:24 | in a new video in the first week right |
| 00:29:23 | 00:29:27 | so |
| 00:29:24 | 00:29:30 | I think when you develop a strategy on |
| 00:29:27 | 00:29:31 | YouTube you have to understand that |
| 00:29:30 | 00:29:35 | maybe people want you to stay in your |
| 00:29:31 | 00:29:37 | lane right I I think we did once a video |
| 00:29:35 | 00:29:38 | where you know gentlemen's because I do |
| 00:29:37 | 00:29:41 | gentleman the things we tok about |
| 00:29:38 | 00:29:43 | etiquette but then we toked about steak |
| 00:29:41 | 00:29:46 | right and because I was like well men |
| 00:29:43 | 00:29:47 | like steak let's do a steak guide but |
| 00:29:46 | 00:29:50 | realistikally people don't come to us |
| 00:29:47 | 00:29:52 | for stake advice and then the audience |
| 00:29:50 | 00:29:56 | you groomed |
| 00:29:52 | 00:29:58 | now it's mistaken like what is this am I |
| 00:29:56 | 00:29:59 | a cooking channel and then they drop off |
| 00:29:58 | 00:30:02 | so I think |
| 00:29:59 | 00:30:05 | that's a if I could avoid one mistake on |
| 00:30:02 | 00:30:07 | YouTube that that would be it that story |
| 00:30:05 | 00:30:09 | is just like my buddy |
| 00:30:07 | 00:30:11 | um he runs a personal finance Channel |
| 00:30:09 | 00:30:12 | and during the pandemic he started |
| 00:30:11 | 00:30:14 | toking about stimulus checks so that's |
| 00:30:12 | 00:30:16 | where all the traffic was and he was |
| 00:30:14 | 00:30:18 | getting millions of views but then now |
| 00:30:16 | 00:30:19 | that the stimulus is over those people |
| 00:30:18 | 00:30:21 | aren't watching any of his other videos |
| 00:30:19 | 00:30:24 | different demographic he targets like |
| 00:30:21 | 00:30:26 | Investments people with money |
| 00:30:24 | 00:30:28 | and you're right that that totally |
| 00:30:26 | 00:30:30 | destroyed his channel yeah so it's |
| 00:30:28 | 00:30:32 | sometimes this short term versus long |
| 00:30:30 | 00:30:33 | term right and so we naturally always |
| 00:30:32 | 00:30:36 | kind of headed to the back of our mind |
| 00:30:33 | 00:30:38 | who is the person we're toking to what |
| 00:30:36 | 00:30:40 | do we want you know what do we want and |
| 00:30:38 | 00:30:44 | so that helped us kind of state a path |
| 00:30:40 | 00:30:46 | and not jump on these shiny objects like |
| 00:30:44 | 00:30:48 | the stimulus checks we're like |
| 00:30:46 | 00:30:51 | right and we all like in intuitive |
| 00:30:48 | 00:30:53 | ladies like big opportunities you know |
| 00:30:51 | 00:30:55 | blue ocean kind of thing |
| 00:30:53 | 00:30:58 | I think sometimes like stay in the |
| 00:30:55 | 00:30:59 | course and being true to you can really |
| 00:30:58 | 00:31:01 | help same with the thumbnails right it's |
| 00:30:59 | 00:31:04 | like there was a time when these like |
| 00:31:01 | 00:31:06 | crazy rainbow thumbnails were super |
| 00:31:04 | 00:31:09 | popular right yeah like well how does |
| 00:31:06 | 00:31:11 | that jive with our brand right like it |
| 00:31:09 | 00:31:14 | doesn't and what I realized too through |
| 00:31:11 | 00:31:15 | like Eric bandholtz in all of that the |
| 00:31:14 | 00:31:18 | strongest thing we have and can develop |
| 00:31:15 | 00:31:19 | is the brand otherwise we're just |
| 00:31:18 | 00:31:23 | Commodities and someone comes in and you |
| 00:31:19 | 00:31:24 | know sells it for less or whatever but |
| 00:31:23 | 00:31:27 | um so in the back of my head I'm like |
| 00:31:24 | 00:31:29 | you know Ralph Lauren that kind of |
| 00:31:27 | 00:31:31 | visual identity branded he created where |
| 00:31:29 | 00:31:34 | people are like I want to be like that |
| 00:31:31 | 00:31:37 | I'll live in that house that is just |
| 00:31:34 | 00:31:41 | much more defensible than if you are |
| 00:31:37 | 00:31:43 | just you know A supplier of ties or |
| 00:31:41 | 00:31:45 | pocket squares and in the beginning I |
| 00:31:43 | 00:31:47 | thought well I know let's do a lot of |
| 00:31:45 | 00:31:49 | ties in three different lengths |
| 00:31:47 | 00:31:51 | and reality is there's lots of ties out |
| 00:31:49 | 00:31:54 | there so it's much harder to sell it |
| 00:31:51 | 00:31:56 | than maybe you know a special set of |
| 00:31:54 | 00:31:57 | pocket squares or something like a |
| 00:31:56 | 00:32:00 | boutonniere where there's just not as |
| 00:31:57 | 00:32:02 | much competition out there and I I think |
| 00:32:00 | 00:32:04 | I I like that I never like Fields like |
| 00:32:02 | 00:32:06 | you know personal real estate where I |
| 00:32:04 | 00:32:09 | feel like there's so many people |
| 00:32:06 | 00:32:11 | competing in that pool and it's people |
| 00:32:09 | 00:32:15 | to try to outdo each other by working |
| 00:32:11 | 00:32:18 | harder I like to be kind of a big fish |
| 00:32:15 | 00:32:21 | in a small pond rather interesting |
| 00:32:18 | 00:32:22 | so for your YouTube videos |
| 00:32:21 | 00:32:23 | and I think I asked Eric Van holds this |
| 00:32:22 | 00:32:26 | question |
| 00:32:23 | 00:32:29 | do you have a way of tracking people or |
| 00:32:26 | 00:32:32 | is it just an uplift based on you know |
| 00:32:29 | 00:32:34 | when a video hits you just naturally see |
| 00:32:32 | 00:32:36 | a correlation in sales |
| 00:32:34 | 00:32:38 | yeah no that's it's a good it's a good |
| 00:32:36 | 00:32:41 | one because that was always |
| 00:32:38 | 00:32:42 | you know one thing that kept me from |
| 00:32:41 | 00:32:44 | like wanting to spend a lot of |
| 00:32:42 | 00:32:46 | advertising was like well how do I know |
| 00:32:44 | 00:32:48 | the attribution because what I saw was |
| 00:32:46 | 00:32:49 | like you know well I sold a hundred |
| 00:32:48 | 00:32:52 | thousand dollars |
| 00:32:49 | 00:32:54 | worth of stuff but if I add up all my |
| 00:32:52 | 00:32:57 | attribution I sold three hundred |
| 00:32:54 | 00:32:58 | thousand dollars worth of stuff so I was |
| 00:32:57 | 00:33:01 | like well I didn't I only sold a hundred |
| 00:32:58 | 00:33:04 | thousand everyone claimed credits for |
| 00:33:01 | 00:33:06 | everything a hundred percent well that's |
| 00:33:04 | 00:33:09 | that's not how life works right |
| 00:33:06 | 00:33:11 | and I and then we found this thing |
| 00:33:09 | 00:33:14 | called um I looked at different |
| 00:33:11 | 00:33:17 | attribution platforms and we founded |
| 00:33:14 | 00:33:20 | like Wicked reports yep um so we did |
| 00:33:17 | 00:33:22 | that and we got in early so we you know |
| 00:33:20 | 00:33:24 | pay a really a nice price I think it's a |
| 00:33:22 | 00:33:26 | lot more expensive now but the the |
| 00:33:24 | 00:33:27 | concept of behind it is like that you |
| 00:33:26 | 00:33:29 | basically at UTM parameters to |
| 00:33:27 | 00:33:31 | everything |
| 00:33:29 | 00:33:33 | because on YouTube you know people will |
| 00:33:31 | 00:33:34 | likely just click through click through |
| 00:33:33 | 00:33:37 | cards click through the link in the |
| 00:33:34 | 00:33:39 | description or yep and that way you can |
| 00:33:37 | 00:33:42 | really have a better click attribution |
| 00:33:39 | 00:33:43 | so that now there's I think more |
| 00:33:42 | 00:33:46 | sophistikated Solutions in the market |
| 00:33:43 | 00:33:48 | where they're like well we use click |
| 00:33:46 | 00:33:50 | data we use view data and if you have a |
| 00:33:48 | 00:33:52 | video that goes viral and we see a |
| 00:33:50 | 00:33:54 | correlating spike in sales that we |
| 00:33:52 | 00:33:57 | attribute that much to it and stuff |
| 00:33:54 | 00:33:59 | right so I yeah I always like that |
| 00:33:57 | 00:34:02 | attribution so we could |
| 00:33:59 | 00:34:04 | now on our back and say well we produce |
| 00:34:02 | 00:34:05 | this type of content and this is what |
| 00:34:04 | 00:34:07 | happened but a lot of people like to |
| 00:34:05 | 00:34:09 | always focus on you know the sales right |
| 00:34:07 | 00:34:11 | it's like oh how much you sell |
| 00:34:09 | 00:34:12 | but I also realized well there is you |
| 00:34:11 | 00:34:14 | know you have these micro conversions |
| 00:34:12 | 00:34:16 | where it's like maybe they became a |
| 00:34:14 | 00:34:18 | subscriber right maybe they become a |
| 00:34:16 | 00:34:20 | subscriber on YouTube maybe they just |
| 00:34:18 | 00:34:21 | you know came back and watched it and |
| 00:34:20 | 00:34:24 | even if they can't buy right now they |
| 00:34:21 | 00:34:27 | tell a friend about it so |
| 00:34:24 | 00:34:30 | to me there's more success than just |
| 00:34:27 | 00:34:32 | how am I going to sell right and for us |
| 00:34:30 | 00:34:34 | it's like how much advertising does it |
| 00:34:32 | 00:34:35 | generate but then also we have a value |
| 00:34:34 | 00:34:38 | of like |
| 00:34:35 | 00:34:40 | does this further our brain and brand |
| 00:34:38 | 00:34:41 | value right so if we do a video about |
| 00:34:40 | 00:34:44 | let's say what it means to be a |
| 00:34:41 | 00:34:46 | gentleman today right and even if this |
| 00:34:44 | 00:34:50 | video had |
| 00:34:46 | 00:34:52 | minimal amount of views no sales I would |
| 00:34:50 | 00:34:53 | still consider the success in a sense |
| 00:34:52 | 00:34:56 | that |
| 00:34:53 | 00:34:59 | we Foster this kind of culture that Our |
| 00:34:56 | 00:35:03 | Brands stand for and I think that's |
| 00:34:59 | 00:35:05 | important too and and brand building |
| 00:35:03 | 00:35:08 | probably and I think one thing that I'm |
| 00:35:05 | 00:35:11 | I'm proud of of what we're doing is that |
| 00:35:08 | 00:35:14 | we're not just analyzing the market like |
| 00:35:11 | 00:35:16 | you know SEO analysts and saying well |
| 00:35:14 | 00:35:17 | what are all the things that are out |
| 00:35:16 | 00:35:19 | there |
| 00:35:17 | 00:35:22 | will do what's best and try to outrank |
| 00:35:19 | 00:35:23 | people or create skyscraper content but |
| 00:35:22 | 00:35:26 | that we actually |
| 00:35:23 | 00:35:29 | back with people who love this |
| 00:35:26 | 00:35:30 | passionately and say well what would a |
| 00:35:29 | 00:35:33 | person |
| 00:35:30 | 00:35:35 | really want and that |
| 00:35:33 | 00:35:37 | allows us to create Innovative content |
| 00:35:35 | 00:35:38 | that wasn't around before and someone |
| 00:35:37 | 00:35:40 | you hit a home run where you didn't know |
| 00:35:38 | 00:35:42 | it existed right because no one else |
| 00:35:40 | 00:35:45 | toked about it you just created |
| 00:35:42 | 00:35:47 | something and and then I think people |
| 00:35:45 | 00:35:49 | over the long term will notike right if |
| 00:35:47 | 00:35:52 | you see the sixth video about |
| 00:35:49 | 00:35:54 | confidence in why you should do this or |
| 00:35:52 | 00:35:56 | that right and just spun in a different |
| 00:35:54 | 00:35:58 | way I think Antonio has like four videos |
| 00:35:56 | 00:36:00 | on how to roll up your short sleeves for |
| 00:35:58 | 00:36:01 | example I mean he's been doing it a long |
| 00:36:00 | 00:36:04 | time he's got variations in everything |
| 00:36:01 | 00:36:07 | exactly but they've they've been super |
| 00:36:04 | 00:36:09 | popular right and that's great and we've |
| 00:36:07 | 00:36:10 | done a redo of how to fold a pocket |
| 00:36:09 | 00:36:12 | square video because we felt like you |
| 00:36:10 | 00:36:16 | know this is so old this could be a lot |
| 00:36:12 | 00:36:19 | better let's let's do it but I'm like I |
| 00:36:16 | 00:36:21 | don't I was like hey I'm I'm proud of |
| 00:36:19 | 00:36:22 | doing something new rather than other |
| 00:36:21 | 00:36:25 | people are like oh they did this was |
| 00:36:22 | 00:36:27 | successful we're gonna do it and that's |
| 00:36:25 | 00:36:30 | okay right I'm not like I had this idea |
| 00:36:27 | 00:36:32 | our team had this idea and we own this |
| 00:36:30 | 00:36:34 | I'm like yeah you know someone else can |
| 00:36:32 | 00:36:35 | just pick it up and make a better video |
| 00:36:34 | 00:36:38 | and that's cool and and I can do the |
| 00:36:35 | 00:36:41 | same right we're all it's an ecosystem |
| 00:36:38 | 00:36:43 | but we we try to not just look at the |
| 00:36:41 | 00:36:47 | numbers but also look at it from a |
| 00:36:43 | 00:36:51 | brand and individual perspective |
| 00:36:47 | 00:36:52 | yeah and it sounds like you're able to |
| 00:36:51 | 00:36:55 | spot Trends before they become popular |
| 00:36:52 | 00:36:57 | right so that they're essentially like |
| 00:36:55 | 00:37:00 | the Pioneers once it does become a |
| 00:36:57 | 00:37:02 | mainstream yeah I mean |
| 00:37:00 | 00:37:04 | I think we are realistikally we are a |
| 00:37:02 | 00:37:06 | niche content I think none of the stuff |
| 00:37:04 | 00:37:09 | we do is really mainstream so I don't |
| 00:37:06 | 00:37:11 | really look at that too much you know |
| 00:37:09 | 00:37:12 | it's like well people are stopping on |
| 00:37:11 | 00:37:16 | the streets so |
| 00:37:12 | 00:37:20 | that's kind of mainstream okay okay |
| 00:37:16 | 00:37:22 | yeah yeah okay I I see what you mean yes |
| 00:37:20 | 00:37:23 | yes and no I'm like you know if we tok |
| 00:37:22 | 00:37:24 | about |
| 00:37:23 | 00:37:26 | um |
| 00:37:24 | 00:37:28 | cases you know I don't think Atasha |
| 00:37:26 | 00:37:31 | cases will ever be mean stream or like |
| 00:37:28 | 00:37:34 | what hat fits your face shape you know |
| 00:37:31 | 00:37:36 | like fedoras are not mainstream I don't |
| 00:37:34 | 00:37:38 | believe they're going to be mainstream |
| 00:37:36 | 00:37:40 | but I believe there's an audience that |
| 00:37:38 | 00:37:43 | we can serve that right and then you're |
| 00:37:40 | 00:37:44 | like oh people who like fedoras are also |
| 00:37:43 | 00:37:47 | interested in ascots you know stuff like |
| 00:37:44 | 00:37:50 | this sometimes people who like to dress |
| 00:37:47 | 00:37:53 | in a special way right are interested in |
| 00:37:50 | 00:37:55 | those unusual accessories for example so |
| 00:37:53 | 00:37:57 | like okay let's let's focus on that then |
| 00:37:55 | 00:38:00 | of course you can have something like |
| 00:37:57 | 00:38:02 | socks right everyone or the market for |
| 00:38:00 | 00:38:05 | socks is a lot bigger than the market |
| 00:38:02 | 00:38:06 | for boutonnieres or maybe even pocket |
| 00:38:05 | 00:38:09 | squares right because Pockets were for |
| 00:38:06 | 00:38:10 | most minutes like a celebratory thing |
| 00:38:09 | 00:38:12 | you know after my wedding I want my |
| 00:38:10 | 00:38:14 | pocket square yep my hand could shift |
| 00:38:12 | 00:38:16 | it's not like they wear that every day |
| 00:38:14 | 00:38:19 | with socks you have the opportunity that |
| 00:38:16 | 00:38:21 | someone potentially wears it every day |
| 00:38:19 | 00:38:23 | and I think |
| 00:38:21 | 00:38:24 | you know when you tok to like pieces I |
| 00:38:23 | 00:38:26 | want to say like well do you have a |
| 00:38:24 | 00:38:30 | subscription product no do you have a |
| 00:38:26 | 00:38:31 | consumable product well kind of but with |
| 00:38:30 | 00:38:34 | a brand right if you build your brand on |
| 00:38:31 | 00:38:37 | like quality and Longevity that kind of |
| 00:38:34 | 00:38:38 | goes against that but we're like we |
| 00:38:37 | 00:38:40 | still like that and maybe there are |
| 00:38:38 | 00:38:43 | opportunities to do |
| 00:38:40 | 00:38:45 | you know consumables like you know the |
| 00:38:43 | 00:38:48 | Razer companies or whatever where you're |
| 00:38:45 | 00:38:50 | like hey you need new blades right every |
| 00:38:48 | 00:38:54 | deodorant companies all that stuff maybe |
| 00:38:50 | 00:38:56 | we'll have a gentlemanly deodorant right |
| 00:38:54 | 00:38:58 | where we're like we really like that we |
| 00:38:56 | 00:39:00 | like the sun profile for that reason and |
| 00:38:58 | 00:39:01 | even Eric from beard brand you know they |
| 00:39:00 | 00:39:05 | started with beard oils well now they |
| 00:39:01 | 00:39:08 | have hair products soap yeah and things |
| 00:39:05 | 00:39:10 | that are accessible to everyone not just |
| 00:39:08 | 00:39:12 | people who are interviewers I'm I'm |
| 00:39:10 | 00:39:13 | still sure that they sell most of their |
| 00:39:12 | 00:39:16 | stuff to people who have some connection |
| 00:39:13 | 00:39:17 | to beards right yes my wife is looking |
| 00:39:16 | 00:39:19 | to say oh let's buy soap from beard |
| 00:39:17 | 00:39:21 | brand unless she's maybe smelled it and |
| 00:39:19 | 00:39:23 | was like |
| 00:39:21 | 00:39:25 | is amazing right and I want that but at |
| 00:39:23 | 00:39:26 | first it's like that's not for me I have |
| 00:39:25 | 00:39:29 | to have a beard like why would I buy |
| 00:39:26 | 00:39:30 | beard Brands so has your YouTube channel |
| 00:39:29 | 00:39:31 | Revenue |
| 00:39:30 | 00:39:34 | I I don't know what the revenue |
| 00:39:31 | 00:39:35 | breakdown is but I assume you make more |
| 00:39:34 | 00:39:37 | from the e-commerce than you do just |
| 00:39:35 | 00:39:40 | YouTube revenue is that is that accurate |
| 00:39:37 | 00:39:43 | absolutely yes okay you make about 25 |
| 00:39:40 | 00:39:46 | from ads you know there's website ads |
| 00:39:43 | 00:39:48 | there's uh YouTube ads and then there's |
| 00:39:46 | 00:39:51 | website Revenue now that being said you |
| 00:39:48 | 00:39:52 | know it's we can definitely see a change |
| 00:39:51 | 00:39:55 | in |
| 00:39:52 | 00:39:58 | um what is called RPM Revenue per |
| 00:39:55 | 00:40:00 | thousand views yep it's it's definitely |
| 00:39:58 | 00:40:02 | going up and personally I think you know |
| 00:40:00 | 00:40:05 | looking at I don't know tv ads and what |
| 00:40:02 | 00:40:08 | people pay there and YouTube what people |
| 00:40:05 | 00:40:10 | pay there I'm hopeful |
| 00:40:08 | 00:40:13 | um that in you know five ten years from |
| 00:40:10 | 00:40:16 | now RPMs on YouTube will be a lot higher |
| 00:40:13 | 00:40:18 | and of course if you are a main player |
| 00:40:16 | 00:40:21 | there and you can you know get the |
| 00:40:18 | 00:40:23 | higher RPMs and you can increase your |
| 00:40:21 | 00:40:26 | audience and your footprint I mean that |
| 00:40:23 | 00:40:28 | can lead to massive growth and of course |
| 00:40:26 | 00:40:29 | that kind of Revenue is you know there's |
| 00:40:28 | 00:40:32 | no |
| 00:40:29 | 00:40:33 | returns department there's no customers |
| 00:40:32 | 00:40:35 | yeah that's what I was getting at like |
| 00:40:33 | 00:40:37 | if it's big enough would you ever |
| 00:40:35 | 00:40:40 | consider just becoming a Media Mobile |
| 00:40:37 | 00:40:44 | you know on YouTube as opposed to I you |
| 00:40:40 | 00:40:46 | know I I like my vision is that we are a |
| 00:40:44 | 00:40:49 | brand that creates |
| 00:40:46 | 00:40:51 | high quality stuff for gentlemen not |
| 00:40:49 | 00:40:52 | just in the clothing world but I'm also |
| 00:40:51 | 00:40:56 | thinking about having a nice |
| 00:40:52 | 00:40:58 | Chesterfield so far right and becoming a |
| 00:40:56 | 00:40:59 | lifestyle and not for women like just |
| 00:40:58 | 00:41:01 | for gentlemen in that style that's just |
| 00:40:59 | 00:41:02 | something that I would find personally |
| 00:41:01 | 00:41:04 | satisfying so it's something that I |
| 00:41:02 | 00:41:05 | would drive to and I would use the |
| 00:41:04 | 00:41:09 | revenue that I generate from the content |
| 00:41:05 | 00:41:11 | to make that a reality right one of my |
| 00:41:09 | 00:41:12 | kind of goals is is not like oh I want |
| 00:41:11 | 00:41:15 | to make two million dollars or whatever |
| 00:41:12 | 00:41:19 | but it's like I want to host a party at |
| 00:41:15 | 00:41:21 | you know the uh rosecliff mansion in |
| 00:41:19 | 00:41:23 | Newport Rhode Island you know where |
| 00:41:21 | 00:41:25 | people can all come and dress up and |
| 00:41:23 | 00:41:28 | then learn from each other hang out and |
| 00:41:25 | 00:41:30 | like that's something where I'm like |
| 00:41:28 | 00:41:32 | that would get me really excited or how |
| 00:41:30 | 00:41:35 | about you know we rent a cruise ship |
| 00:41:32 | 00:41:36 | under Nile that you know uh Agatha |
| 00:41:35 | 00:41:38 | Christie's Poirot was on and we do |
| 00:41:36 | 00:41:40 | something like that like events so maybe |
| 00:41:38 | 00:41:42 | we bring Tailors and that's something |
| 00:41:40 | 00:41:44 | I'm like I want to do that I'm not like |
| 00:41:42 | 00:41:46 | I just want to see where I can make the |
| 00:41:44 | 00:41:49 | most money and do that if you know I'm |
| 00:41:46 | 00:41:50 | I'm well off can I always make more sure |
| 00:41:49 | 00:41:53 | but |
| 00:41:50 | 00:41:56 | do I want to increase the channel and |
| 00:41:53 | 00:41:58 | build a team and yes I do but not just |
| 00:41:56 | 00:42:01 | so I can make easier money or money more |
| 00:41:58 | 00:42:03 | quickly so the answer is no I would not |
| 00:42:01 | 00:42:06 | say I'll just become a media company |
| 00:42:03 | 00:42:08 | because that's where all the money is |
| 00:42:06 | 00:42:09 | well no the reason why I was asking I |
| 00:42:08 | 00:42:13 | mean e-commerce |
| 00:42:09 | 00:42:14 | I would use 3pl so I guess it's less |
| 00:42:13 | 00:42:16 | um but you know there's a lot more |
| 00:42:14 | 00:42:18 | things to worry about right |
| 00:42:16 | 00:42:21 | absolutely I mean I don't I don't know |
| 00:42:18 | 00:42:23 | what to do but I like the you know the |
| 00:42:21 | 00:42:25 | complexity of figuring it out and again |
| 00:42:23 | 00:42:27 | I always mindset of you know if it's too |
| 00:42:25 | 00:42:29 | easy it's easier to replicate so if it's |
| 00:42:27 | 00:42:31 | more complex process it keeps out all |
| 00:42:29 | 00:42:34 | the amateurs right I felt like it about |
| 00:42:31 | 00:42:36 | YouTube for example I was like when I |
| 00:42:34 | 00:42:37 | started Facebook was still popular and |
| 00:42:36 | 00:42:39 | you could get a lot of organic traffic |
| 00:42:37 | 00:42:41 | but then it had the barriers to entry |
| 00:42:39 | 00:42:45 | very low on Instagram right how many |
| 00:42:41 | 00:42:47 | mins where instagramers are out there |
| 00:42:45 | 00:42:48 | a lot because yeah what's better to |
| 00:42:47 | 00:42:51 | entry you need a phone |
| 00:42:48 | 00:42:52 | and a filter and that's it well with |
| 00:42:51 | 00:42:55 | YouTube |
| 00:42:52 | 00:42:58 | to make consistently good videos you |
| 00:42:55 | 00:43:00 | need the gear you need the people to |
| 00:42:58 | 00:43:03 | edit and and put it all out so now |
| 00:43:00 | 00:43:05 | you're toking there's a competitive |
| 00:43:03 | 00:43:08 | pool of 20 maybe in the largest sense |
| 00:43:05 | 00:43:11 | right so I always like that being |
| 00:43:08 | 00:43:15 | among fewer and not trying to flip |
| 00:43:11 | 00:43:17 | houses right because it's just yeah |
| 00:43:15 | 00:43:19 | I yeah I totally agree this is why all |
| 00:43:17 | 00:43:20 | those e-commerce business models out |
| 00:43:19 | 00:43:22 | there that are |
| 00:43:20 | 00:43:24 | that appeal to most people they're easy |
| 00:43:22 | 00:43:26 | but because they're easy they're |
| 00:43:24 | 00:43:29 | actually hard |
| 00:43:26 | 00:43:31 | right easy to get in easier to get in |
| 00:43:29 | 00:43:33 | but then |
| 00:43:31 | 00:43:36 | to kind of stay in there remain |
| 00:43:33 | 00:43:39 | successful building something that that |
| 00:43:36 | 00:43:41 | I think gets gets much harder and that's |
| 00:43:39 | 00:43:43 | that's why I like it right it's like |
| 00:43:41 | 00:43:46 | okay like if you want to do YouTube |
| 00:43:43 | 00:43:48 | at well consistently I mean we have a |
| 00:43:46 | 00:43:50 | huge expense around that right that's |
| 00:43:48 | 00:43:51 | our marketing expense most people don't |
| 00:43:50 | 00:43:53 | think they think marketing and |
| 00:43:51 | 00:43:55 | e-commerce they immediately go to paid |
| 00:43:53 | 00:43:58 | ads yep |
| 00:43:55 | 00:43:59 | and we're different we're like no for us |
| 00:43:58 | 00:44:02 | marketing is |
| 00:43:59 | 00:44:04 | everything that we do to bring the |
| 00:44:02 | 00:44:06 | product to Market which for us is just |
| 00:44:04 | 00:44:08 | that content basically |
| 00:44:06 | 00:44:11 | cool I mean that's that's the way to |
| 00:44:08 | 00:44:12 | build a brand I mean I mean in many ways |
| 00:44:11 | 00:44:15 | though |
| 00:44:12 | 00:44:16 | pay-per-click is is faster |
| 00:44:15 | 00:44:19 | right I mean you can just drive traffic |
| 00:44:16 | 00:44:21 | right away where's your content method |
| 00:44:19 | 00:44:24 | is is more of like a Slow Burn Right a |
| 00:44:21 | 00:44:26 | slow Ascension exactly and more solid |
| 00:44:24 | 00:44:27 | foundation yeah and we also look at |
| 00:44:26 | 00:44:29 | videos you know sometimes we have videos |
| 00:44:27 | 00:44:29 | that just are really strong out of the |
| 00:44:29 | 00:44:31 | gate |
| 00:44:29 | 00:44:33 | and then they stop and then there are |
| 00:44:31 | 00:44:36 | other videos you know you start they're |
| 00:44:33 | 00:44:39 | just like slow burner but over time get |
| 00:44:36 | 00:44:42 | you all that you know yeah traffic |
| 00:44:39 | 00:44:43 | attention and a brand recognition and I |
| 00:44:42 | 00:44:45 | mean if you look back around I mean |
| 00:44:43 | 00:44:46 | Ralph Lauren didn't make content |
| 00:44:45 | 00:44:48 | increase great brand there's lots of |
| 00:44:46 | 00:44:51 | brands that didn't create that content |
| 00:44:48 | 00:44:53 | it was just one Avenue that |
| 00:44:51 | 00:44:56 | was available to me and I I kind of |
| 00:44:53 | 00:44:58 | liked it I'm also a bit you know kind of |
| 00:44:56 | 00:45:01 | bummed I think |
| 00:44:58 | 00:45:03 | I just never figured out how to do paid |
| 00:45:01 | 00:45:04 | ads I think there was a time when if you |
| 00:45:03 | 00:45:06 | figured it out |
| 00:45:04 | 00:45:09 | we could have grown much faster |
| 00:45:06 | 00:45:12 | and done things differently so I'm not |
| 00:45:09 | 00:45:15 | saying you know paid ads are bad and and |
| 00:45:12 | 00:45:18 | you shouldn't do them I'm just like |
| 00:45:15 | 00:45:21 | it didn't work for us right I didn't I I |
| 00:45:18 | 00:45:22 | felt like this was more in my wheelhouse |
| 00:45:21 | 00:45:23 | and I think when you tok to different |
| 00:45:22 | 00:45:24 | people as an e-commerce you know |
| 00:45:23 | 00:45:26 | everyone |
| 00:45:24 | 00:45:27 | figured out an angle that worked for |
| 00:45:26 | 00:45:29 | them you know some people are really |
| 00:45:27 | 00:45:32 | active on Reddit other people are really |
| 00:45:29 | 00:45:36 | active in a forum other people do this |
| 00:45:32 | 00:45:39 | right and I've not met anyone who's like |
| 00:45:36 | 00:45:41 | I'm the gorilla on all the platforms |
| 00:45:39 | 00:45:43 | right |
| 00:45:41 | 00:45:45 | some people do podcasting and they love |
| 00:45:43 | 00:45:47 | it and it it works really well for them |
| 00:45:45 | 00:45:49 | and I you know I've thought about |
| 00:45:47 | 00:45:51 | podcasting and was like nah |
| 00:45:49 | 00:45:54 | the barrier entries are lower right what |
| 00:45:51 | 00:45:57 | do I need a focusrite box a nice |
| 00:45:54 | 00:45:59 | microphone it's it's easier I just sit |
| 00:45:57 | 00:46:01 | down and it's also probably because I |
| 00:45:59 | 00:46:03 | personally don't listen much to podcasts |
| 00:46:01 | 00:46:05 | because I don't like commuting then I'm |
| 00:46:03 | 00:46:08 | not you know right I don't necessarily |
| 00:46:05 | 00:46:10 | think of it but I realized there is an |
| 00:46:08 | 00:46:12 | audience on every platform there's |
| 00:46:10 | 00:46:15 | people who like clothes who love |
| 00:46:12 | 00:46:18 | podcasts or videos or Instagram accounts |
| 00:46:15 | 00:46:19 | it's not this like oh people who make |
| 00:46:18 | 00:46:21 | that amount of money they don't watch |
| 00:46:19 | 00:46:22 | YouTube videos or they don't listen to |
| 00:46:21 | 00:46:24 | podcasts I don't think that's true I |
| 00:46:22 | 00:46:26 | think you can find people everywhere and |
| 00:46:24 | 00:46:28 | it's just what drives with you and your |
| 00:46:26 | 00:46:30 | channel and I think if there was one new |
| 00:46:28 | 00:46:33 | channel we'd focus on right now |
| 00:46:30 | 00:46:35 | it would be LinkedIn because that's |
| 00:46:33 | 00:46:37 | interesting that |
| 00:46:35 | 00:46:39 | drives the most with the kind of person |
| 00:46:37 | 00:46:41 | that you know we may be looking at it |
| 00:46:39 | 00:46:44 | wouldn't be like tiktok you know |
| 00:46:41 | 00:46:46 | um and sometimes or it's funny right |
| 00:46:44 | 00:46:48 | when these new trends come along like |
| 00:46:46 | 00:46:50 | YouTube shorts for example |
| 00:46:48 | 00:46:52 | we haven't made a single YouTube short |
| 00:46:50 | 00:46:54 | video yet and that's it's interesting |
| 00:46:52 | 00:46:55 | when you tok to other people who've |
| 00:46:54 | 00:46:58 | experimented with it and you know |
| 00:46:55 | 00:46:59 | YouTube obviously recognizes hey this is |
| 00:46:58 | 00:47:01 | your channel I don't think it |
| 00:46:59 | 00:47:04 | cannibalizes the OverWatch time you have |
| 00:47:01 | 00:47:07 | and maybe we're losing out but it's like |
| 00:47:04 | 00:47:10 | Ah that's a bit more you know it's just |
| 00:47:07 | 00:47:11 | like dopamine Rush right oh one minute |
| 00:47:10 | 00:47:13 | short video |
| 00:47:11 | 00:47:15 | and I'm not saying we're never going to |
| 00:47:13 | 00:47:17 | do that so far it just hasn't fit into |
| 00:47:15 | 00:47:18 | our brand strategy so we we skipped that |
| 00:47:17 | 00:47:20 | you gotta finish your dance lessons |
| 00:47:18 | 00:47:24 | first you're not done taking your dance |
| 00:47:20 | 00:47:26 | lessons right well yeah yeah and but |
| 00:47:24 | 00:47:27 | it's maybe it's wrong you know like |
| 00:47:26 | 00:47:30 | there's always this opportunity and |
| 00:47:27 | 00:47:32 | there's so much opportunity right oh I |
| 00:47:30 | 00:47:35 | could do attentive text message |
| 00:47:32 | 00:47:36 | marketing right or I could do use clavio |
| 00:47:35 | 00:47:39 | I could do this I could do that I could |
| 00:47:36 | 00:47:41 | and what I notiked is like I'm actually |
| 00:47:39 | 00:47:43 | better off I'll focus on one thing yeah |
| 00:47:41 | 00:47:45 | absolutely figure out and do it right |
| 00:47:43 | 00:47:47 | rather than trying to |
| 00:47:45 | 00:47:49 | dance everywhere |
| 00:47:47 | 00:47:52 | not well because I don't know all the |
| 00:47:49 | 00:47:54 | answers that's actually great advice for |
| 00:47:52 | 00:47:56 | anyone listening if you want to see more |
| 00:47:54 | 00:47:58 | amazing interviews with successful |
| 00:47:56 | 00:48:00 | entrepreneurs then check out this next |
| 00:47:58 | 00:48:01 | interview right here I think you'll |
| 00:48:00 | 00:48:04 | enjoy it and you'll definitely be |
| 00:48:01 | 00:48:04 | inspired |
