You know that little feeling in the back of your throat that makes you feel emotions towards someone else? Yeah— it’s called empathy, and True Classic’s CEO, Ryan Bartlett, is here to explain why it's the one thing that will distinguish your D2C brand from the rest of the crowd. Nik and Moiz talk to Ryan about the importance of empathy in company culture, how he fosters that mindset daily within the walls of True Classic Tees, and why hiring emotionally intelligent people is critical to negating workplace toxicity. Ryan also unveils his playbook for hiring powerhouse players— and spoiler alert— it doesn’t involve recruiters or running ads. So, lay off the LinkedIn for a bit, bucko, because, according to him, the best employees probably aren’t even looking for jobs. Time to go poach some Grade A eggs!Plus, find out why growth and valuation are simply a high-stakes game of EBIDTA and retention, and what True Classic is doing to perfect their model.  0:00 Guess That Business12:00 True Classic & Ben19:52 Creating a Great Culture33:30 Becoming More Creative40:15 Going Viral42:00 The Hiring Process53:00 Mr. Sharma’s Hiring Process1:00:00 Growth and Valuation1:10:31 Mobile App MetricsCheck Out True Classic Tees: Website: https://www.trueclassictees.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueclassic/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trueclassicFollow Ryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbtct/Follow Nik:Twitter: twitter.com/mrsharmaFollow Moiz:Twitter: twitter.com/moizaliThis episode was brought to you by Tapcart: Mobile Apps for Shopify.If you are looking to improve your store’s mobile revenue performance, then check out Tapcart and get your first 2 months free at https://tapcart.com/limitedCheck out the Nik’s DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ

Ryan Bartlett, the founder and CEO of True Classic, transformed his men’s apparel brand into a $150 million business in just three years. He shares insights on the importance of authenticity in marketing, emphasizing emotional connections over aggressive sales. The conversation delves into the real challenges of entrepreneurship, including the emotional toll and high-stakes decisions, like a $40 million inventory bet. Bartlett also discusses balancing personal life with business demands while underlining the value of customer focus and storytelling in building brand loyalty.