DTC brands have had it hard. But AllBirds co-founder Tim Brown doesn’t care. For him, his business isn’t about labels, trends, or headlines—it’s about striving toward a mission that took seven years to develop. In this episode, Nathan Chan chats to Brown about what gave him the confidence to take on the uber-competitive shoe industry and how the brand plans to bounce back after a challenging year.

In this interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Brown’s sporting career helped him bring AllBirds to life
• The slow seven years burn of AllBirds as a side hustle 
• How doubt can be an advantage in business 
• Why Kiwi culture keeps Brown grounded
• The benefits of criticism 
• Tackling the competitive shoewear industry 
• Why celebrating the little wins leads to long-term success 
• How Brown’s reacted to recent setbacks at AllBirds 
• Why “DTC” doesn’t matter 
• The best parts of entrepreneurship 
• Why founders need to refresh their vision over time 
• And much more founder and brand advice…



Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders.

If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode.

Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform:

• Foundr.com
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook
• X
• LinkedIn
• Magazine