Episode 143 - Building & Protecting Culture - The Story of Thread Wallets with Colby Bauer

eCommerce Evolution

Colby Bauer has personality. He’s a half-pipe skating, snowboarding, former collegiate athlete who turned a simple idea into a thriving eComm business. He and his wife McKenzie started Thread Wallets with just a single product idea. Simple, functional, minimalist wallets with personality. That initial product took off and Thread quickly grew into a team of 22 that now boasts an expanding product line including lanyards, phone cases, and more.

While there’s a lot to be impressed about with Colby and McKenzie, and their team I really wanted to key in on Thread’s culture and the unique steps they took to grow. I think you’ll find a ton of good lessons here:

• How the key to scale might be engaging in activities that DON’T scale
• How financial intelligence (or lack thereof) can make or break startups
• How to hire for culture first and is the “hire slow, fire fast” mantra really the way to go
• How installing a half-pipe at the office lead to a fight amongst the thread founders, but lead to mental health as a focus for the company
• A good CEO is a non-busy CEO…what does this mean and how is it the key to effectiveness