Advice Line with Joe Kudla of Vuori
1Digest
This episode of "How I Built This Lab" features Joe Kudler, founder of Viori, offering advice to entrepreneurs on building successful brands. The episode begins with a promotion for Wondery Plus, highlighting the benefits of early access to the show. Joe shares the story of Viori's evolution, emphasizing the importance of customer feedback and pivoting to find product-market fit. He then provides advice to Lori Boge, founder of Green Cloud Apparel, on growing her profitable medical scrub line. Joe suggests focusing on product innovation, building a community, and finding the right marketing talent. Brenda McAvoy, co-founder of My Name Is Ted, seeks guidance on scaling her Irish luxury handbag brand internationally. Joe advises on aligning price point with distribution channels, building a strong community, and focusing on key markets like Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. Finally, Steve Bright, founder of Skittens, seeks advice on scaling his direct-to-consumer business. Joe suggests exploring wholesale opportunities to build brand awareness and trust, emphasizing the importance of product seeding and community building.
Outlines
Building Successful Brands: Advice from Viori Founder
This episode features Joe Kudler, founder of Viori, offering advice to entrepreneurs on building successful brands, including pivoting to find product-market fit, building community, and strategically choosing distribution channels.
Viori's Journey: From Graphic Tees to Activewear
Joe Kudler shares the story of Viori's evolution, emphasizing the importance of customer feedback and pivoting to find product-market fit.
Advice for Green Cloud Apparel: Elevating Medical Scrubs
Lori Boge, founder of Green Cloud Apparel, seeks advice on growing her profitable medical scrub line. Joe Kudler suggests focusing on product innovation, building a community, and finding the right marketing talent.
Scaling a Heritage Luxury Handbag Brand: My Name Is Ted
Brenda McAvoy, co-founder of My Name Is Ted, seeks guidance on scaling her Irish luxury handbag brand internationally. Joe Kudler advises on aligning price point with distribution channels, building a strong community, and focusing on key markets like Los Angeles, Miami, and New York.
Skittens: Stylish Skins for Mittens and Gloves
Steve Bright, founder of Skittens, seeks advice on scaling his direct-to-consumer business. Joe Kudler suggests exploring wholesale opportunities to build brand awareness and trust, emphasizing the importance of product seeding and community building.
Keywords
Viori
Viori is an activewear brand known for its comfortable and stylish clothing designed for various activities like hiking, surfing, working out, and everyday wear.
Green Cloud Apparel
Green Cloud Apparel is a medical apparel line for women, offering elevated scrubs that prioritize comfort, style, and confidence for healthcare professionals.
My Name Is Ted
My Name Is Ted is an Irish heritage luxury handbag brand inspired by the founder's grandfather, a leather craftsman. The brand is known for its high-quality, handcrafted bags with unique designs.
Skittens
Skittens are stylish skins designed for mittens and gloves, primarily for skiers and snowboarders. They offer both functional and aesthetic benefits, including trail maps printed on the fabric and unique graphic designs.
Product-Market Fit
The alignment between a product or service and the needs and desires of a specific target market.
Community Building
The process of creating a sense of belonging and shared purpose among customers, employees, or other stakeholders.
Distribution Channels
The various ways in which a product or service is made available to customers, such as online retailers, physical stores, or wholesale partnerships.
Q&A
What are some key takeaways from Joe Kudler's advice on building a successful brand?
Joe emphasizes the importance of customer feedback, pivoting to find product-market fit, building a strong community, and strategically choosing distribution channels that align with the brand's price point and target audience.
How can a small business like Green Cloud Apparel effectively leverage its profits for growth?
Joe suggests investing in product innovation, building a community through product seeding and influencer marketing, and hiring a marketing professional to develop a strategic growth plan.
What are some challenges and opportunities for My Name Is Ted in scaling internationally?
Brenda faces challenges in navigating the competitive luxury market and finding the right wholesale partners. Joe advises on aligning price point with distribution channels, focusing on key markets, and building a strong brand presence through community engagement.
Should Skittens focus on direct-to-consumer sales or pursue wholesale opportunities?
Joe suggests a hybrid approach, starting with a thoughtful wholesale strategy to build brand awareness and trust, while leveraging direct-to-consumer channels for targeted marketing and community building.
Show Notes
Vuori founder Joe Kudla joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they work through business challenges with three early-stage founders.
Today we meet Laurie, a Florida-based physician with savings to invest back into her fashionable scrubs company. Then Brendan, who wants to bring his Irish handbags to the American luxury market. And Steve in Colorado, who’s exploring wholesale opportunities for his colorful skins for ski gloves.
If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.
And to hear Vuori’s founding story, check out Joe's first appearance on the show in 2023.
This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.
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