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303 | The Exit Itch: Why Entrepreneurs Build and Rebuild | with Kevin Tighe

Honest Ecommerce
Honest Ecommerce
Episode • Nov 11, 2024 • 28m

Kevin Tighe is the Founder & CEO of San Diego based Beachly Brands (acquired) which is the leading subscription retailer of beach apparel and accessories. Under Kevin’s leadership, Beachly has been twice selected to the INC 500 – INC Magazine’s annual list of the fastest growing private companies in America. 

Kevin recently joined Retention Brands where he serves as COO of the portfolio which includes Birchbox, Beachly and Alltrue. Kevin is a passionate entrepreneur, startup mentor and non-profit volunteer. Born in Washington DC, Kevin migrated to the West Coast to attend the University of Southern California. 

While at USC, he started his first business and has been a serial entrepreneur ever since. He has over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, eCommerce, subscription commerce, and entrepreneurship. 

Kevin is among the select few who qualify as both a visionary and integrator. This quality gives him the unique ability to dream big and then distill his vision into an actionable and achievable plan.

Kevin serves on the Board of Directors of Sustainable Surf, a non-profit focused on promoting and restoring ocean ecosystems. He also serves on the Board of Directors of San Diego Sports Innovators. 

During his free time, you will likely find Kevin at the beach with his family or in the ocean; surfing, paddle boarding or racing outrigger canoes.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

  • [00:42] Intro
  • [01:35] Building on past ventures and learning
  • [02:16] Finding business inspiration back from the ocean
  • [03:44] Testing concepts with real-world validation
  • [04:52] Assessing margins for sustainable ventures
  • [06:00] The allure of recurring revenue in business
  • [08:31] Leveraging Facebook ads to grow audience
  • [10:28] Pivoting to women’s market after strong demand
  • [11:57] Referrals from women’s online engagement
  • [13:10] Episode sponsors: StoreTester and Intelligems
  • [16:23] testing market feedback before acquisition
  • [18:09] Stepping into a new role post-acquisition
  • [19:47] Handling distressed acquisitions
  • [21:35] Building repeatable processes across brands
  • [22:45] Focusing on key growth channels for maximum impact
  • [24:25] Embracing the itch to constantly build and innovate
  • [26:07] Learning and growing in new market opportunities
  • [27:04]  BUBS Naturals for supplements and wellness

Resources:

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