In 2016, I started a business with 0 experience. I taught myself design, marketing, product, operations, finance, and every other aspect. 1.5 months after deciding to start, I had a brand, website, and product in the market. Today, we surpassed $10MM in sales. Just start.

Google Meet is so much better than Zoom.

Hey, so I don’t normally do this But You’re rich And I like that Wanna be a dad?

Shopify dashboard down all day. Perhaps there was a meeting about this that got cancelled.

My flight to Vancouver was cancelled and it cost me $10,000 to take the ferry instead. Hold up… $10k for a 90 min ferry?! 🤯 Well, sort of. To ferry from Victoria to Vancouver costs $160 and 3 hours 15 minutes of my time. ⛴️ To take a sea plane costs me $220 and 1 hour 15 minutes of my time. 🛩️ So I saved $60 by taking the ferry, right? No. I value my time at a minimum of $5,000 per hour. Sounds like a lot, but honestly it’s not. So an extra 2 hours of travel time actually costs me $10k… I know some people will read this and think I’m an idiot. But time is everything. You don’t get it back. How much would you pay for more time at the end of your life? I’d pay SO much more than $60 to get those 2 hours back… I think about this with everything I do.

Depends on the meal

If you put ‘dropshipper’ into midjourney this is what you’d get

Founders who have bootstrapped will thrive in 2023.

1 founder year is 5 years of aging

Generally speaking, people are unnecessarily cruel.

It’s DTC, not D2C

Fair point, thanks for the comment.

me: has a brand dude with broccoli hair cut: want 10x roas?

Bootstrapping is often thought of as a slow-burn way to grow. 🔥 In most cases this is true, but not if you get creative. I bootstrapped @endurapparel from $0 to 10 million, with high growth in a capital-intensive industry. Here's how. 🧵 1/10

Leaving school to found/join a startup isn't dropping out. It's going pro. — @ShaanVP

“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.” Love this. - @shaneparrish, Clear Thinking

“Instead of asking how many tasks you can tackle given your working hours, ask how many you can ditch given what you must do to excel.” — Morten Hansen via @farnamstreet Brain Food Newsletter

During the first 2 years of my business, I had a toxic investor. The type of person who was a 'partner' when they needed something, and an 'investor' when I needed something. It was terrible for my mental health and destroyed the joy in what I was doing. I would dread having to update them on how the business was doing. Even when I thought I was doing well, they found a way to bring me down. I would ask for help, not get it, make a mistake, and then be shit on for making the mistake. The best word to describe most of the interactions is 'belittling'. For example: "If you think that only two years of hard work gives you the right or ability to think that you can change the partnership just because you don’t like how the partnership is at this stage... you are gravely mistaken." "If you feel this is too much for you then I will find somebody that can come in and run the company..." "I don’t need to remind you that you have a fiduciary obligation to me... be careful." "Your lack of understanding of having a partner and what it takes to build a business or how much effort it takes surprises me..." And those are from only two emails... now imagine two years. So I finally built the courage to take action. I first sent an email expressing my concerns and asking to have a conversation about the future. I was met with some of the worst belittlement to date. It was at that moment that I knew I was done. I couldn't do it anymore. I only had one choice: Walk away or offer to buy them out. But the thought of walking away was terrifying. In hindsight, I think that's what kept me in the toxic partnership for so long. When I retired from racing bikes, I lost my identity. It was hard. And now it was looking like that would happen all over again. I built this business. It was doing well. I finally reinvented myself. And now I may have to walk away again. But the pain of walking away was less than what I was feeling day to day. So I had my lawyer send a letter with a 2-week shot clock on my resignation if they would not agree to let me buy them out. They did NOT like that I was finally standing up for myself. And with people that could back me up. And then the wait began... It was the final day without any resolution, and it looked like I was going to have to walk away. I remember when the clock hit the deadline at 5 pm and that was it. We didn't hear back. I was going to have to walk. It was the worst feeling ever. I couldn't believe it. I just remember thinking: I built this company. I did my absolute best. I'm trying to go about this as fair as possible. And somehow I'm going to have to walk. It was totally demoralizing. But then an email came through... We had a buyout number. And one that I could stomach. In March 2019 I regained 100% control of my company. It was finally over. I was proud that I finally stood up for myself, but I didn't do it soon enough. For a long time, I knew things weren't right in my gut. But I learned so many lessons: 1. Listen to your gut. Your mind with rationalize, and your heart will lead you in many directions, but your gut will tell you what to do. 2. Show, don't tell. People will tell you how helpful they are, but find a way to verify what they say. 3. Never get into business with someone that says: 'Wouldn't you rather have a smaller piece of a big pie.' It's been quite some time since this all went down and I'd love to say that those two years are behind me, but there are scars. But what I've learned is that when you have the right partners, these things don't happen. I'm extremely fortunate to have an incredible group of investors and partners around me today. When I deliver bad news, they're there to help and offer support. Not belittle me. Q2 was a tough quarter for us, and I had to send an update that I was dreading. It brought up all the feelings I had during the early part of my career. But I was met with different responses this time: "You’re never alone in this. I hope you know that." "I’m as confident in you and the business as day one." "Onward and upward!" If I'm honest, I teared up getting these responses. It was SO different than what I experienced in the past. I'm thankful for my past and present. It's been an incredibly rewarding journey. Onward and upward! 🫡

Hey @Shopify we're big fans at @outwaysocks and have been a proud merchant for 6+ years 🙌 What do you say we take our relationship to the next level with a collab?🧦

ecommerce is a channel, not a business model.

I'd pay a premium for chatGPT to never use dashes again

The most common insult I received last week was 'you sell socks'. Socks... a 46 BILLION dollar market with a 7% CAGR forecasted to hit $72B by 2028. I wasn't offended 🧦

A rebrand will not solve your growth problems.

Building a great business is cool. Building a great human is cooler.

FIRED UP about this Shopify merch. Thanks @Shopify 🙏🔥

Axe Fraser, welcome to the world 💙

Had a hunch

The main takeaway from wearing a glucose monitor for 2-weeks was that Smart Sweets are bullshit.

Not me checking if these letters were actually together on the keyboard 🫣

I spent 8 hours on Twitter last week and it ended up costing me $40,000. Hold up, $40k to scroll Twitter!? 🤯 No. This is a joke. A week ago, I tweeted a thought with a similar hook… attempting to articulate the value of time. But how I expressed it was: • Poorly worded • Arrogant • Out of touch • Entitled • And many other things (not great things) If I scrolled across my tweet, I’d agree with people’s perception. It didn’t come across well. But I’ve left it up. Why? I’m taking this on the chin and learning from my mistake. The majority of feedback was harsh, and that’s fine, but I engaged thoughtful feedback. I learned a lot this past week. At the end of the day, all I can do is learn from my mistakes and try to be better each day. That’s what I did in pro sports and again now in entrepreneurship. Learn from my mistakes. I certainly don’t get everything right, but I respect the feedback I receive, admit when I’m wrong, and do everything in my power to improve from it. However, I stand behind my original point that time is invaluable and we should think critically about how we spend it. Valuing your own time is not to say anyone is worth less or undeserving. That could not be further from the truth or message I tried to share. Being kind, patient, and supportive should be above all else. Always. So, thank you to everyone who shared thoughtful feedback and reached out with support. And most importantly, I apologize to anyone who was offended by my tweet. It was certainly not my intent, nor who I am. Thanks for hearing me out. I appreciate it.

We sold over $30k in custom socks today with no Black Friday offer, so that’s cool.

Reminder: If ecom gurus could actually execute They’d have their own brands And they wouldn’t be ‘selling’ their strategies

So... I fucked up In April I made a big hire to join the OUTWAY team and it didn't work out... at all I was introduced to someone, who on paper, was ideal for the role They seemed too good to be true and came highly recommended with glowing references So I narrowed my focus and didn't talk to other candidates Nearing the end of the process, an advisor I trust with lots of experience raised some red flags But I didn't double-click on their concerns I was impatient and had blinders on I was convinced this hire would have an impact on the business And they did... just not a positive one The most frustrating thing is I knew better When talking to first-time entrepreneurs my advice is you should listen to those that have been down the path you're traveling They know where the landmines are and can save you a lot of pain But like most hard-headed founders, I chose to think I was different And surprise... I ran over the landmine Ultimately I ran a bad hiring process and lost us a quarter of momentum But it wasn't all for nothing, as with every fuck up, I learned (and relearned) some important lessons: - When something seems too good to be true, it is - Be patient in the hiring process and interview lots of candidates - Double click on red flags raised by people with experience whom you trust - 'Expert' hires are not a silver bullet solution and often don't work out - Invest in people who've been with you for a while, there is no substitute for their experience and dedication

3mo into our affiliate program launch and we're at nearly 20k affiliates. Bullish on this program for 2023.

Proud that @outwaysocks was able to donate over $25,000 to @BCCancer yesterday. A pinch me moment for sure. To go from 'lets start a business and see what happens' in 2016, to a company that has since: - Donated hundreds of thousands of dollars - Created hundreds of jobs domestically / worldwide - Reclaimed 2.5 million water bottles from oceans - Sponsored thousands of athletes and events and so much more. The goal has always been to build an incredible business that enables us to do incredible things. I'm stoked to see that vision come to life and excited to do so much more.

Hey @canva we're big fans at @outwaysocks You power design. We design socks. It's a match made in heaven... Collab? 😊

Hey high performers: How do you manage anxiety?

Hit 100,000 orders in 2021 🎉 Next stop 1,000,000 🚀 Thanks @Shopify 🙏

Black Friday email design. No stone left unturned 🔥

When starting @outwaysocks it took me weeks to sell my first 100 pairs of socks. Fast forward to today and in 24 hours we've sold over 20,000 pairs. But it took many years of work to get here. So if you're just starting out and sales are slow, remember this: keep going.

Twitter is so much better than LinkedIn for anything business related, it's not even close.

It’s ecom, not eCom or e-com

q1 was wild for @outwaysocks march was up ~110% yoy and we just hired a head of growth for q2 time to shake and bake 🚀

anyone else polite to AI? you know... just incase?

$100M in sales isn't cool. Do you know what's cool? $100M in profit.

Sport teaches you rewards are earned. You are owed nothing. Put in the work.

I want to start a monthly online DTC marketing meetup. A place to share strategies, whats working/not working, collabs, data, wins, fails, and more. Who's keen? Comment or DM and and i'll you to the list.

I bootstrapped my sock business (@outwaysocks) to over $10M in sales, raised $3.2M, and now scaling to $100M. I tweet about the lessons learned and insights along the way. I will not try to sell you something.

1/5 star response 👎

Tag a founder you think is doing a great job It can be a lonely role… but we’re not alone

Hey @elonmusk everyone who signs up for Twitter Blue should get a pair of Verified Socks... Tweet Feet has a nice ring to it 🐦🧦 @outwaysocks

Pretty wild to think @outwaysocks has sold nearly 3 MILLION pairs of socks. 🧦 All starting with an initial 230 pair order that I used my student loans to pay for. Next stop, 10 million pairs a year 🚀

bootstrapped founders are doomed to think that everything is overpriced agencies, contractors, consultants, software, etc during the early phases of their business they’ll spend so much time doing the work themselves or finding scrappy solutions and as time goes on the ‘standard rate’ for that work/solution seems insane ‘why would I pay for that when I can do it myself’ ‘that cost is too high so we should hold off for now’ I think this is a blessing and a curse a blessing because it emboldens fiscal responsibility a curse because it delays important investments finding an ideal balance is 🔑

Use this hack to go from zero to $10M in DTC sales: HARD WORK.

Who makes the best men's t-shirt* for everyday use? *Not interested in true classic or cuts.

When you need a brand name but all the good trademarks are taken

Just realized We did more in sales yesterday Than our entire first year (and then some) Took some time to get here And there is so much more to do But proud of what we’ve built Onward 🚀 @outwaysocks

“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.”

ecommerce is not a business model it's a sales channel diversify or die

If you run a business and don’t DEEPLY know your numbers You’re just playing At anytime you should be able to go deep on your: - unit economics - gross and contribution margin - daily profit - key marketing metrics - cash position and flow - inventory position and turnover And so, so much more Business is a pro sport Know your shit or get left behind

A pivotal moment for any DTC founder: Turning off your Shopify phone notifications.

2024 will be a break out year for @outwaysocks. Forecasted to do 8-figure revenue and 7-figure profit (currently trending ahead). And it's the result of addition by subtraction: - Reducing headcount by 30% - Reducing sku count by 50% - Reducing software by 70% Creating space for opportunity: - Launching on Amazon - Signing national Wholesale accounts - Continuing to expand @bycustomlab offerings Over the past two years we over complicated things. This year is about consistent, calm progress. Reps and base hits. Compounding results. All while keeping focussed on the long-term. Success is not about how fast you can grow. It's about how long you can stay in the game.

2024 was an incredible year for @outwaysocks - 8-figure revenue, profitable - Launched Amazon and Wholesale - Launched Youth Line and Prototype Sock - Team went fully remote and thriving - Donated $40k to BC Cancer + so much more Was not without challenges, but many hard lessons learned over the years positioned us well for 2024. Stoked for 2025 as we continue to build on this momentum 🚀

Countin stacks

Sold 25,000+ pairs of socks today. 🧦

Most people don't think about socks. But I've thought about them every day for over 7 years. In 2016 with $1,000 to my name (and a lot of student debt) I founded @outwaysocks. And bootstrapped the business to multi-millions in sales in a short period of time. I recently sat down with @hi__itsMimi to chat about: - 0 to 1 story - Building community - The power of aligned investors - Legal and co-founder challenges - Custom side project to a cash engine & much more. Link below, hope you enjoy 🧦

North Beam users today

Last 3 months YoY growth for @outwaysocks: March - 92% April - 91% May - 112% On an 8-figure year is 2024 No gimmicks, hacks, or blowout sales Just years of hard work compounding

I’ve avoided these groups for years. But Hampton did it different. And better. Proud member for some time now. Highly recommend. Congrats @thesamparr @jspeiser and team 🚀

Black Friday inventory has fully arrived. Locked and loaded for the start of the @outwaysocks sale on Nov 19. Can’t wait 🚀

2024 reminder: DTC ✅ D2C ❌ I’ll die on this hill

Had three job candidates no show for interviews this week. No cancellation or communication before/after the scheduled time. Position is a fair market full-time salary role, flex remote, benefits, lap top, the works…in marketing. Such a great opportunity. Wtf is going on?

New 3PL set up today 📦 Making moves 🧦 🚀

Taking the ferry to Vancouver today and it’s really got me thinking… that I hope you all have a nice long weekend 😀 ✌️

Hey @Trustpilot — this review is clearly not based on a genuine customer experience. It’s riddled with false claims and attacks that cross the line from feedback into defamation. When a platform claiming to stand for trust allows baseless, damaging reviews to remain unchecked, it undermines the credibility of every business listed — and of Trustpilot itself. Trust is in your name. It’s time to live up to it.

VIP sale Private sale Early Black Friday sale Black Friday sale is here Black Friday Sale extended Cyber Monday sale Cyber Week sale Holiday Sale Holiday Sale last chance Holiday sale extended Shipping deadline sale Boxing Day sale Boxing Week sale Year end sale NEW YEAR SALE!!!

Cash flow is king in DTC.

I used to hate agencies, but my perspective has shifted. When you're a growing business in the low millions annually, you face two challenges: 1. You either go for the cheapest agency, which leads to poor quality. 2. Or, you overspend on a big player, but with your brand still evolving, it's hard for the agency to deliver results. I'd avoid both options unless you deeply understand your growth needs and can clearly pass them off for execution. Otherwise, hiring a skilled contractor to help you develop that understanding might be the better move. This is just general advice, but it was our experience. Now, as a more mature brand, we’ve found success with agencies, internal teams, and contractors.

Do you want to have a better life? I loved this from the recent @TKPPodcast with Marshall Goldsmith: If you evaluate yourself on a 1 to 10 scale by answering these six questions every day, you’re going to have a better life👇

Long $TINY Congrats on a wonderful first AGM @awilkinson, @_Sparling_, and Tiny Team.

Hey @LiquidDeath it's time to murder the sock game. A collab with @outwaysocks is what people want and need 🙌

Scaling a sock brand is hard. Socks are one of the most inexpensive products in the apparel category. Meaning low AOV, which makes it hard to scale as CAC increases. But we were able to triple AOV by: - Bundling - Mystery pair upsell - Free shipping threshold You'd be surprised at how high our AOV is for socks. But that will only get you so far and there is a ceiling. So we also needed to increase LTV: That starts with making an exceptional product, and @outwaysocks has that on 🔒. Second, we layered in a fashion element. That means customers are not only reordering when their socks wear out. They're ordering because they want new designs. Increasing the replenishment rate = more purchases per year = higher LTV. Our socks are a collectible for some, purchasing 100+ pairs per year. It's been remarkable to see this play out. The above sounds simple, but it has not been easy. We chose a hard path and were challenged along the way. But I'm thankful for the challenges. We're incredibly resilient and creative as a result. And as we continue to scale, we'll find even more ways to innovate. Like developing all-new businesses such as @bycustomlab, which is growing like crazy. Stay tuned for what comes next 🚀🫡

A 🤦‍♂️ email I know every DTC founder has received: ‘I was going to buy your product but then realized it is made over seas. - sent from my iPhone’

DTC founders either die a hero or live long enough to become an ecom influencer

yo @HubSpot, a comfortable team is a happy team. Think about how stoked everyone would be to get a pair of these socks🧦 @thesamparr what do you think? Hubspot needs these 🔥

This week marks 7 years since founding @outwaysocks. But I've hesitated to post anything or really celebrate. On one hand, I'm incredibly proud of what we've built. But on the other I feel like in that amount of time we should be much further along. And that's the tricky thing about entrepreneurship. The thing that drives you to succeed, is also the thing that prevents you from stopping to smell the roses. But today instead of focussing on how far along I think we should be, I'm choosing to focus on just how far we've come. It's been an incredible journey with what feels like a lifetime of lessons, memories, and connections. I wouldn't trade it for the world and am forever grateful to everyone who's been a part of the journey. Today I'm choosing proud.

LOVE how @harleyf was taking notes on the Limited Supply pod when @moizali and @mrsharma were giving feedback on how Shopify can improve. This is why @Shopify will (and continue to) win.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT tweet your hourly rate Iykyk 😆

DTC PNL simplified and done right: Product sales + Shipping Sales = Revenue Cost of Goods + Cost of Delivery = COGS Revenue - COGS = Gross Profit Expenses that fluctuate with each sale = Variable Expenses Expenses that don't fluctuate with each sale = Fixed Expenses Gross Profit - Variable Expenses = Contribution Profit Gross Profit - Variable Expenses - Fixed Expenses = EBITDA

All this time I thought the D in DTC stood for Direct Turns out it stands for Dinner

DTC brands are playing on hard mode this year. Stay strong my friends.

Outway on display at TED @outwaysocks

Repeat purchase > Initial purchase

Recover & Recharge

The number one skill a DTC founder will need in 2023: the ability to generate a profit.

actually lol'd

Incredible talk at TED by @profgalloway today. Highlight of the week for sure.

This sounds cliche, but if you believe you can do something, and I mean REALLY believe it, you can accomplish your wildest dreams. I've now done it twice in my life... and both times I had no right to succeed 👇

Something cooking 🔥 @outwaysocks X @HavenAthletic

The ultimate DTC dopamine hit: shopify sale push notifications.