Bootstrapping a $100M E-Commerce Empire

In this episode of The DTC Insider podcast, Brian Roisentul sat down with Bear Handlon, co-founder and CEO of Born Primitive, a brand that started a decade ago with compression shorts for weightlifters and has since evolved into a 9-figure, bootstrapped powerhouse.
From serving in the military to serving millions of customers, Bear has built a brand rooted in authenticity, performance, and purpose. With milestones like hitting $100M in sales, donating over $2M to charity, and paying $11M in veterans' medical bills this Veterans Day, Bear’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and impact. Let’s dive into the strategies and lessons that have powered his incredible growth and see what’s next for 2025.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
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The foundation of Born Primitive's success through a clear value proposition.

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How authenticity and strong brand values attract and retain loyal customers.

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The role of community engagement in driving brand growth.

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The influence of military experience on leadership and operational strategies.

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The importance of aligning company and employee values to foster a positive culture.

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The impact of Bear Handlon’s visibility as a brand face on authenticity.

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The continued relevance of email and SMS marketing for community building.

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Why thriving in e-commerce requires strategies beyond digital advertising.

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Building and leveraging a customer list for maximizing sales during key events like Black Friday.

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The importance of early preparation for major sales events to ensure success.

Sponsor for this episode:
This episode is brought to you by BSR Digital (www.bsrdigital...) .
BSR Digital (www.bsrdigital...) helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing.
To learn more about BSR Digital, visit their website (www.bsrdigital...) or book a call here (calendly.com/b...) .