Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup

https://levelwear.com

Hyman Ngo, SVP of Product & Marketing at Levelwear, joins us to talk through the brand’s evolution from a behind-the-scenes apparel manufacturer to a powerhouse in wholesale and licensing — and now, their pivot into DTC.

For brand leaders scaling from golf, wholesale, or licensing into consumer channels.

What we cover:

The real reason they acquired a customer’s brand — and how that changed their whole trajectory
Why golf was the launchpad: how credibility in elite U.S. clubs unlocked growth back home
How they scaled to 85 of the top 100 U.S. golf courses (and what that did for their reputation)
The role of licensing (MLB, NHL, PGA) in adding growth and brand legitimacy
How they finally built their brand narrative (“Team Over Everything” / “Who’s With You”) and why it’s now central to their DTC push

Who this is for: Brand operators in wholesale, licensing, or B2B looking to build emotional connection and consumer pull

What to steal:

Build credibility in a “clean” market (no legacy baggage) and use it to reposition back home
Treat brand story as an internal alignment tool — not just external marketing
Use licensing as a bridge, but don’t lose sight of your brand equity

Unlock the BFCM Command Center: https://triplewhale.com/dtc

Timestamps

00:00 Transitioning from manufacturing to a brand

02:15 Buying Levelwear and early operational challenges

04:40 Breaking into retail and managing order volume

07:20 Slow early growth and breakthrough in the US golf market

10:05 How Levelwear entered top golf courses

12:40 Evolution of golf culture and apparel trends

14:00 Sponsoring pro golfers and athlete partnerships

16:00 Expanding into licensed sports apparel

18:05 Fanatics partnership and industry comparisons

20:00 Crafting Levelwear’s brand message and manifesto

22:30 Launching the "Who's With You" campaign

24:15 Using streaming ads for brand awareness

26:10 How the brand story aligns across sports

27:40 Message consistency in B2B and retail channels

29:00 Levelwear’s path toward nine-figure revenue

30:30 DTC ambitions and where the brand goes next

32:00 Expanding into international golf markets

33:00 The future of independent retail in golf

34:00 Closing thoughts and next steps for Levelwear

Hashtags

#dtcpodcast #levelwear #golfapparel #sportsbusiness #directtoconsumer #ecommercegrowth #brandbuilding #athleisure #golfindustry #sportsmarketing

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup

Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise

Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse

Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter

Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Episode 217: Fiona Apple, "Heavy Balloon"