661: How We Sold $100k Worth of Golf Gloves on the Side
Mar 13, 2025
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Randall Pulfer, co-founder of ChippGolfCo.com, transformed a simple idea into a thriving business, selling $100,000 worth of uniquely designed golf gloves without any prior manufacturing experience. He shares the journey from concept to sales, focusing on finding the right manufacturing partner and executing innovative marketing strategies. Listen as he discusses overcoming challenges like inventory management, customer feedback, and the importance of social media in reaching golfers. Randall's story showcases how passion and creativity can turn a side hustle into a success.
Randall Pulfer identified a market gap for colorful golf gloves, successfully merging style with quality to attract consumers.
Sourcing manufacturing from Indonesia proved crucial, highlighting the need for quality control amidst challenges with defective products.
Leveraging online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy allowed Pulfer's brand to reach a wider audience and increase visibility despite higher fees.
Deep dives
Leveraging Airbnb for Extra Income
Utilizing Airbnb's co-host network allows homeowners to generate income from their properties while traveling or working remotely. By hiring professional local co-hosts, hosts can ensure that their properties are rented out effectively without the stress of managing guests or reservations. This approach enables property owners to offset travel costs or other expenses associated with home ownership. Thus, homeowners can turn an idle asset into a source of income, ensuring their properties work for them even when they are away.
Innovating in the Golf Industry
The podcast features Randall Pulfer, who successfully created a unique line of golf gloves, addressing a gap in the market. His company offers colorful, stylish gloves that reflect golfers' personalities, moving away from the traditional bland options. Pulfer and his co-founder identified that many golfers were looking for fun designs that did not compromise quality. This innovation in the golf glove space taps into a growing interest in personalized golf equipment.
Navigating Manufacturing Challenges
Finding a reliable manufacturing partner was pivotal for Pulfer's business, as they sourced their golf gloves from Indonesia. After evaluating various suppliers, they were able to finalize a contract that met their quality and cost standards. Pulfer discussed the importance of quality control, revealing challenges with defective products that emerged during one of their major orders. Fortunately, the manufacturer took responsibility for the errors, leading to insights and improvements in their quality assurance processes.
Scaling Sales through Marketplaces
To effectively reach potential customers, Pulfer's company made strategic decisions to sell gloves on multiple online platforms, including Amazon and Etsy. By leveraging these marketplaces, they tapped into organic search traffic where customers are actively looking for golf-related products. This approach is particularly beneficial because people often prefer purchasing accessories online rather than in-store. Although they face challenges with higher fees from these platforms, the visibility and customer access gained are invaluable.
Building a Community and Brand Trust
A key strategy for Pulfer's business is transparency and creating a connection with their audience. When faced with product defects, they openly addressed the issue through social media, leading to increased customer loyalty and sales. This openness in sharing both successes and mistakes resonates with consumers, as they feel part of the brand's journey. This strategy, combined with engaging content and effective marketing, has helped to foster a loyal customer base and expand their reach.
Most people look at a golf glove and see, well, just a golf club… white, plain, forgettable.
But Randall Pulfer and his co-founder Tyler, with zero experience in manufacturing, no background in design, and a full-time day job, sold $100k worth of golf gloves as a side hustle.
ChippGolfCo.com is now a brand that’s making waves in the golf scene.
Randall breaks down how he pulled it off from coming up with the idea, finding the right manufacturing partner, and making those first crucial sales.
(Want to try one for yourself? Head over to ChippGolfCo.com and use promo code HUSTLE for 15% off your order.)
Tune in to Episode 661 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
how Randall came up with this idea
how they found the right manufacturing partner to make it reality
the marketing efforts that have worked to start to generate some profitable sales