022: How Portland Leather Goods Scaled a 9-Figure DTC Bag Brand with Curtis Matsko

Just over a decade ago, Curtis Matsko told his wife, “Quit your job and I will start up a company selling things on the Internet and we’ll make $100 million.”

Today, that proclamation has manifested into reality, with Curtis’s Portland Leather Goods growing from a garage operation to a $120M+ business on pace to make more than 2 million bags in 2023. 

In this episode, Curtis tells the story of how he went from a lofty idea to a concrete success story in just over a decade, including tips on people, product and process. 

You’ll also hear Curtis share the principles of success he believes transfer to any company, how taking a people-first approach can lead to an obsessive customer base, and the lessons from being a class clown that good marketers can learn from. 

Key Takeaways with Curtis Matsko

• How Curtis grew Portland Leather Goods from zero to making more than 2M bags in a year.
• How to harness the importance of referrals to go viral.
• Using customer stories to demonstrate the value of your product.
• What does it mean to be a "marketing company?"
• The emotion entrepreneurs need to avoid to hit 9 figures a year.
• Attracting the right employees based on human qualities — not resumes.
• Using Rick Rubin's philosophy to avoid mediocrity and create greatness.
• The three people you need to make sure your business runs smoothly.
• What is the value of building a founder brand in public?
• Why taking formulas from an existing business doesn't work — and what to do instead.
• Why founders need to have conversations with peers in different industries.
• How authenticity and kindness can indirectly solve problems.

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/22

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