#39: Patrick Coddou - Founder & CEO of Supply

Patrick Caddou is the Founder and CEO of Supply, a direct-to-consumer company specializing in single-blade razors for men as well as other cosmetic goods. Patrick and Chris discuss his journey of leaving the corporate world to become a founder, the ups and downs of manufacturing a product that people will love to use, and the how Twitter and freelance platforms have been so instrumental in businesses. Enjoy! For more information on Chris Powers and Fort Capital, visit www.fortcapitallp.com. Follow Chris on Twitter! @fortworthchris 01:38 — What is Supply and how did you get started? 04:00 — Did you discover something new yourself when you went full-time with Supply? 05:08 — What was your experience launching a product on KickStarter? 07:30 — What risks come with manufacturing a product? 08:40 — What is the biggest factor in customer loyalty? 09:15 — Designing a Product, Sourcing Materials, and Customer Delivery 11:20 — Razorpedia.com and Supply 14:29 — How did you deal with issues with manufacturers? 17:18 — How are you dealing with poor supplier relationships right now? 18:53 — Are there consultants for sourcing suppliers? 20:44 — What will your trip to China be like? 22:12 — If a supplier drops the ball on a major purchase order, how does it put you at risk? 27:16 — What led to the launch of Razorpedia? 29:06 — Negative Social Media Feedback 33:06 — Slowly & Methodically Growing a Company 38:18 — What does “pushing the lever” mean? 41:50 — When did you realize the importance of digital advertising? 44:30 — Ben & Jerry’s vs. Amazon 50:10 — What makes a great shave? 52:50 — How focused were you on doing one thing really well? When did you decide to expand the product line? 55:25 — Do you have a mentor or group that advises you? 58:38 — Advice to Your 21-Year-Old Self 1:01:50 — How do you know if you had a good day? How do you define success?