EP13: Bootstrapping to 7 Figures, Overcoming Capital Constraints, and Building a Remote Team with Fred Perrotta of Tortuga Backpacks

Fred Perrotta of Tortuga Backpacks takes a contrarian view when it comes to scaling a successful brand. But his approach has allowed him and his team scale Tortuga Backpacks into a multiple-seven-figure business through bootstrapping alone. They haven’t raised any outside venture capital, and they’ve managed to build a fully remote team from day one.  Designing and manufacturing products require capital. This is the biggest constraint for bootstrapped businesses. You have to figure out how you can afford to scale as the demand for your products increase.  We talk to Fred about how he co-founded the business, how they’ve scaled it, and how they’ve overcome capital constraints resulting from not raising any outside funding. We also explore the tactics Tortuga Backpacks has used for managing inventory issues, covering employee salaries, and marketing their brand.  If you're looking to take a bootstrapping approach to growing your business, you’ll learn how Fred and his team have been able to scale Tortuga Backpacks into a multimillion-dollar brand.  “You have to focus on what’s actually working for you, what’s possible, and what you can afford. That's a muscle you have to develop.” - Fred Perrotta, Tortuga Backpacks (15:06-15:15) Some topics that were discussed include: The “levers” that Tortuga Backpacks used to hit their first seven figures in revenue How to learn from the feedback you get from customers so you know what will work How profitable (and for how long) you have to be to get conventional funding  Accidental scarcity can create a bigger demand for your products.  Getting your audience to buy up your inventory can be as easy as just sending out an email.  How much revenue does it take to fund your inventory and production runs while keeping your products in stock at all times? Where you need to allocate your profits when growing a bootstrapped business What percentage of your marketing needs to go to performance marketing  Magazines have become online publishers that rely heavily on affiliate revenue. Tortuga Backpacks’ philosophy on remove versus non-remote teams Navigating the drawbacks and limitations of remote teams Contact Fred Perrotta: Fred Perrotta on Twitter Fred Perrotta's Website References & links mentioned: Tortuga Backpacks Website Subscribe & Review The Commerce Lab Podcast: Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Commerce Lab Podcast! If the information shared in these weekly conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! How to get involved Join the community of brand owners and industry influencers in the Facebook group The Commerce Lab or visit thecommercelab.com. Visit www.bluestout.com for more info If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

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The Commerce Lab, hosted by Allen Burt , the Founder and CEO of Blue Stout, is the community for growth-minded eCommerce business owners. On this podcast, we'll dive deep into the eCommerce economy, analyze cutting edge strategy, meet with industry leaders, and above all, provide you with actionable advice to engineer consistent growth in your business. To access any of the resources discussed in today's episode, join us in the Commerce Lab Official Community on Facebook or visit www.bluestout.com