#97 - From $250 to $30 Million: DadGang on Building an Iconic Brand & Global Community For Dads

2026-02-24

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What happens when three friends in a group text decide to turn a shared passion for fatherhood into a business? You get Dad Gang, a brand that started with just $250 and has since sold over $30 million in hats. In this episode, I’m joined by co-founders Bart and EJ to pull back the curtain on one of the most inspiring entrepreneurship stories I’ve heard in years.We dive deep into the "origin story" of Dad Gang—from selling out their first 100 hats in 36 hours to building a community of over 14,000 dads who support each other through the "forever marathon" of parenting. Bart and EJ open up about the hard transitions they made, including the m...

What happens when three friends in a group text decide to turn a shared passion for fatherhood into a business? You get Dad Gang, a brand that started with just $250 and has since sold over $30 million in hats. In this episode, I’m joined by co-founders Bart and EJ to pull back the curtain on one of the most inspiring entrepreneurship stories I’ve heard in years.

We dive deep into the "origin story" of Dad Gang—from selling out their first 100 hats in 36 hours to building a community of over 14,000 dads who support each other through the "forever marathon" of parenting. Bart and EJ open up about the hard transitions they made, including the moment EJ realized his daughter needed his presence more than his paycheck, leading him to resign from a 15-year career with no backup plan.

In this episode, we discuss:

- The Power of the Niche: Why they ditched "corny" dad gear to create a streetwear-inspired brand for the modern father.

- Operational Excellence vs. Marketing Magic: How staying in their "lanes" allowed them to scale to a million hats sold without the typical friction of a partnership.

- Fatherhood as Training: Using the challenges of parenting as a catalyst for personal growth and spiritual discipline.

- The "If You Know, You Know" Philosophy: The meaning behind their iconic side-hit and why community is the real product, not the apparel.

- The Lean Startup Model: Why they prioritize efficiency and profit over head-count and ego.

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking for the blueprint to scale or a dad trying to be the best role model for your kids, this conversation is a masterclass in choosing the hard path to build a life of alignment.

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