Advice Line with Michael Dubin of Dollar Shave Club
On this episode of How I Built This, Guy Raz sits down with Michael Dubin, the founder of Dollar Shave Club. Michael Dubin shares the story of how he launched the company from a simple idea and grew it into a billion-dollar brand. Also joining the conversation are Benita Kasbo of Casbo's Middle Eastern Kitchen, Brandon Davis of Parrs Mobile Mini Golf, and Bria Fleming of Incidental Wildland, who each share their own entrepreneurial journeys and ask Michael for advice.
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Episode Recap
# Episode Recap: Advice Line with Michael Dubin of Dollar Shave Club
Michael Dubin, founder of Dollar Shave Club, joins Guy Raz on the Advice Line to share his entrepreneurial expertise with three callers who are all working to grow their own businesses.
Benita Kasbo: Scaling a Restaurant Business
Benita Kasbo, founder of Casbo's Middle Eastern Kitchen, asks Michael about scaling a restaurant business while maintaining the quality that made the original location popular. Michael advises focusing on building strong systems early and investing in team training. He explains that as Casbo's grows, the founder can't be everywhere at once, so creating repeatable processes and giving staff members more ownership helps keep standards high.
Brandon Davis: Growing a Mobile Entertainment Business
Brandon Davis, owner of Parrs Mobile Mini Golf, seeks advice on expanding a mobile entertainment business beyond one-off bookings. Michael suggests using social media to display events and create shareable moments, building partnerships with corporate clients and party planners, and creating package deals that make booking easier for customers who want recurring entertainment options.
Bria Fleming: Launching an Outdoor Gear Brand
Bria Fleming, founder of Incidental Wildland, discusses the challenges of launching an outdoor gear brand in a market already filled with established players. Michael recommends starting with a clear niche, building a community around the brand through content and events, and using direct-to-consumer sales to gather customer feedback quickly. He emphasizes that the brand's story and mission can be strong differentiators.
Insights from Michael Dubin
Michael shares lessons from building Dollar Shave Club from a simple idea into a billion-dollar brand, including the impact of viral marketing, the importance of staying true to the brand mission even when offers to acquire the company appear, and how to handle the challenges of rapid growth after a major acquisition by a large corporation like Unilever.
Key Takeaways
- 1Build systems early: Focus on building systems early to support scalable growth without sacrificing quality.
- 2Leverage partnerships: Leverage social media and local partnerships to grow a mobile or event-based business.
- 3Start with a niche: Start with a clear niche and build a community around your brand to drive loyalty.
- 4Combine marketing with mission: Viral marketing can be a game-changer when combined with a strong, consistent brand message.
- 5Stay true to your mission: Stay true to your brand mission even as the company grows and faces new challenges.
Founders Featured
Benita Kasbo
Benita Kasbo is the founder and owner of Casbo's Middle Eastern Kitchen, a popular restaurant known for its authentic Middle Eastern cuisine.
1 episode
Bria Fleming
Bria Fleming is the founder of Incidental Wildland, a brand focused on outdoor gear and adventure.
1 episode
Michael Dubin
Michael Dubin co-founded Dollar Shave Club and served as its CEO, the subscription grooming brand that disrupted razors with its viral 2011 launch video. With a decade in media and marketing, Dubin grew the company from a \,500 DIY video into a billion-dollar business.
2 episodes
Brandon Davis
Brandon Davis is the owner of Parrs Mobile Mini Golf, bringing mini golf to events and parties.
1 episode
Related Companies
Incidental Wildland
Incidental Wildland is a firefighter-owned workwear company that creates custom wildland fire gear including pants, shirts, and PPE. Made in the USA with US materials, each piece is tailored to fit and built by someone who has been on the line.
1 episode
Casbo's Middle Eastern Kitchen
Casbo's Middle Eastern Kitchen is a specialty food company that produces authentic Syrian cheese, known as Jibneh. Made with traditional methods and seasoned with the unique spice mahleb, the company brings the rich flavors of Aleppo to kitchens across the Northeast United States.
1 episode
Parrs Mobile Mini Golf
Parr's Mobile Mini Golf is a family-owned entertainment company that delivers portable mini golf courses to weddings, corporate events, and parties across Southern California.
1 episode
Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club is a direct-to-consumer grooming company that delivers affordable razors and personal care products by monthly subscription. Launched in 2011, the brand disrupted the shaving industry with a viral video and a simple promise: quality blades at a fair price, shipped to your door.
2 episodes