Bear Handlon, CEO and co-founder of Born Primitive, shares his rollercoaster journey from $5.5M to $200K in profits and back again. He discusses the pitfalls of chasing growth without maintaining margins and the impact of flash sales on customer loyalty. Bear emphasizes the importance of expanding product categories while staying authentic, especially in the tactical gear market. He also highlights the vital role of brand credibility and community engagement in driving growth and stabilizing operations in a volatile market.
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From $5.5M Profit to Crisis
Born Primitive slid from $5.5 million profit to $200K due to chasing aggressive growth and flash sales.
The failed deal and financial losses forced a brutal reassessment and turnaround effort.
insights INSIGHT
Flash Sales Damage Profitability
Flash sale customers acquired at deep discounts have lower lifetime value and hurt margins.
MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting https://morestaffing.co/af. INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.//Bear Handlon, CEO of Born Primitive, went from $5.5M in profit to just $200K in a single year — and then back again. In this Profit Monsters episode, Bear breaks down exactly what caused the collapse, how they rebuilt, and what they're doing now to scale into $100M+.We cover:- How chasing top-line growth killed margins- Why flash sales damaged LTV- The power of product category expansion (tactical, hunting, footwear)- The real ROI of brand authenticity and military credibility- How Bear negotiates net-90 terms — and why that matters- The exact moment they cut spending, changed exclusions, and stabilized Meta ROAS- Why product quality — not hype — is the greatest unlockWhether you’re a founder stuck in growth mode, a brand leader trying to protect profit, or an operator navigating platform volatility, this episode will sharpen your instincts and show you how serious operators recover — and win.//CHAPTER TITLES:1:50: The Dark Times of Born Primitive11:50: Customer Acquisition Strategy20:27: Product Categories46:25 - Product Features + Customer Experience56:22 - Proper Communication Channels For Marketing Apparel// SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: https://x.com/andrewjfaris Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: https://ajfgrowth.com
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