Why This Founder Said “No” to Shark Tank Money and Still Built a 7-Figure Brand - The Shopify Growth Show (#15)

Would you turn down funding after being featured on Shark Tank? Eric Bandholz did. In this episode, he breaks down how Beardbrand became one of the most iconic DTC companies 0 built on freedom, grit, and a wild Reddit strategy. Jim talks with Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, about the raw, real story of building a DTC cult brand from scratch. Eric shares how he turned a niche grooming obsession into a 7-figure business - without funding, with help from Reddit, and by staying fiercely true to his values. It’s a founder story that throws out the rulebook. Key Topics Covered:Why school nearly derailed his founder pathThe power of community-led growthHow Reddit became his early traction channelGetting featured on Shark Tank (and what happened next)Bootstrapping lessons and the real gift of staying leanProduct expansion done rightWhy building a network is your secret growth weapon If you believe in the power of community, conviction, and scrappy marketing - you’ll love this episode. Resources:Ecommerce ConversationsBeardBrandJim Huffman websiteJim's TwitterGrowthHitThe Growth Marketer's PlaybookThe Shopify Growth Show Additional episodes you might enjoy:Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)