Shopify Masters How a Taboo Became a $300 Million Business in the First Three Years
Jan 20, 2026
Paul Tran, founder of MANSCAPED, shares his journey from startup enthusiast to entrepreneur behind a pioneering men’s grooming brand. He discusses identifying the untapped market for below-the-belt grooming and how rapid product iterations and customer feedback led to their first product selling out in two weeks. Tran reveals clever marketing tactics, from early TikTok ads to partnerships with UFC, and the importance of measuring brand impact alongside performance. He also touches on work-life balance and incorporating AI into creative processes for innovative content.
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Brand That Owns The Category
- Paul Tran deliberately named the company to own the category and create a verb around the act of grooming below the belt.
- The brand positioning turned manscaping into the default phrase and defined the entire category.
Validate With Small Batches
- Test product market fit by launching a small batch, running media, and watching sell-through.
- Iterate rapidly on the hero product while customers validate demand.
Find Manufacturers By Doing The Work
- If you lack product design experience, find manufacturers on Alibaba, call factories, and visit them.
- Persist until you secure a partner who can scale your product and iterate with you.