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Honest Ecommerce

187 | Greatness Comes From Trying and Failing Multiple Times | with Mike Beckham

On this podcast, we talked about accepting that it’s better to use Amazon than to compete with it, why Simple Modern is heavily investing in domestic manufacturing, process-driven vs results-driven mindset, and so much more!
Broadcast on:
22 Aug 2022

Mike Beckham is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Simple Modern, a leading producer of premium drinkware and lifestyle products. 

Founded in 2015 and based in Oklahoma, Simple Modern currently generates a nine-figure annual revenue and is committed to generosity, donating at least 10% of annual profits to nonprofit organizations. 

Under Mike’s leadership, the company has grown into a category leader for Amazon, Target, and Sam’s Club. 

In addition, Simple Modern will be launching in Walmart stores nationwide in spring 2022. Prior to founding Simple Modern, Mike spent over a decade working for the worldwide Christian ministry CRU. 

Equipped with a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector, Mike transitioned into the business world and helped found and operate several e-commerce businesses, which cumulatively generated more than $1 billion in revenue. 

Mike graduated with a degree from the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business, where he currently serves as the senior entrepreneur-in-residence.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

  • [00:00] Intro
  • [01:08] What brought Mike to the Ecom game
  • [05:09] Accepting that Amazon wins the Ecom fight
  • [07:12] D2C brands transitioning into traditional retail
  • [08:43] Make your brand indispensable to platforms
  • [09:25] Brands reaching “escape velocity”
  • [10:48] The newer value props for D2C
  • [14:12] 2 ways to position a D2C brand to customers
  • [15:34] Reasons to invest in domestic manufacturing
  • [17:56] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io
  • [18:16] Sponsor: Mesa apps.shopify.com/mesa
  • [19:04] Sponsor: Loop loopreturns.com/honest
  • [19:57] Sponsor: Klaviyo klaviyo.com/honest
  • [20:44] From the starting phase to the scaling phase
  • [21:59] Moving into the enterprise level
  • [23:09] 2 Ecom things that catch people off-guard
  • [24:48] Ecommerce can make you age fast
  • [25:40] Mistakes Mike wants you to avoid
  • [26:41] You have to have a learning mindset
  • [27:29] Process-driven mindset vs results-driven mindset
  • [29:11] Entrepreneurship doesn’t start with novelty
  • [30:45] Trying is what makes people great
  • [32:26] Being a net positive brand/business
  • [34:15] Where to find Simple Modern

Resources:

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On this podcast, we talked about accepting that it’s better to use Amazon than to compete with it, why Simple Modern is heavily investing in domestic manufacturing, process-driven vs results-driven mindset, and so much more!