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 path
  • The power of community-led growth
  • How Reddit became his early traction channel
  • Getting featured on Shark Tank (and what happened next)
  • Bootstrapping lessons and the real gift of staying lean
  • Product expansion done right
  • Why 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:

Additional episodes you might enjoy: