Launching a Customer-First Merch Company with No Industry Experience | Ethan Dowie
Millionaire University
Landing Zappos after 496 calls
Ethan recounts calling Zappos, getting connected to a buyer, and fulfilling dozens of orders in year one.
#690 Ready for a masterclass in grit, customer service, and unconventional scaling — all from a founder who built a booming merch company from scratch? In this episode, host Brien Gearin chats with Ethan Dowie, founder of Indigo Promotions, who went from making 400+ cold calls with zero traction to landing Zappos as one of his very first clients. Ethan breaks down how he bootstrapped his business, navigated fulfillment before he had any systems, built a powerhouse customer-first team, and eventually brought manufacturing in-house to compete with massive players like 4imprint and VistaPrint. If you want to understand what it really takes to build a product-based business that stands out, this conversation delivers!
What we discuss with Ethan:
+ Bootstrapping Indigo Promotions
+ Landing Zappos after 496 cold calls
+ Early fulfillment challenges
+ Finding reliable factories and partners
+ Bringing production in-house
+ Building a customer-service-first culture
+ Leveraging big clients to win bigger clients
+ Organic marketing and behind-the-scenes content
+ Handling complex custom projects
+ Scaling the team and future growth vision
Thank you, Ethan!
Check out Indigo Promotions at IndigoPromos.com.
Follow Ethan on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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