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The Fort

#376 - Kevin Lavelle - Building Mizzen+Main, Influencer Partnerships, His New Startup Harbor

Feb 3, 2025
Kevin Lavelle, CEO and co-founder of Harbor and founder of Mizzen+Main, dives into his entrepreneurial journey. He shares the inspiring story behind launching the world’s first performance dress shirt and the challenges of building a successful brand. Lavelle discusses the intricate dynamics of celebrity partnerships, including memorable moments with athletes like Phil Mickelson and J.J. Watt. He also reveals the innovative vision behind Harbor, a new product aimed at enhancing nighttime parenting with professional support.
01:24:37

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Kevin Lavelle emphasizes the importance of creating physical products like performance fabric dress shirts, shifting focus from purely digital innovations.
  • Strategic partnerships with influencers like Phil Mickelson can significantly enhance brand visibility and drive sales in competitive markets.

Deep dives

The Call to Build

Many entrepreneurs harbor a desire to create something tangible that provides value to others. The narrative in Silicon Valley has shifted towards a critique of the past decade's focus on writing code rather than constructing physical products. Influencers like Elon Musk have highlighted the importance of building, exemplified by achievements such as SpaceX successfully capturing a rocket in space. This moment served as a motivating reminder of the simplicity of the challenges faced in product creation compared to monumental technological feats.

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