I talk a lot on the podcast about business, growth, and solving problems, but at some point it’s worth stepping back to ask why we’re doing any of this in the first place.
This recap is about Beardbrand (my company) and our 2025 performance: What worked, what didn’t, what was painful, and what made it all worth it.
It’s also a reminder to take stock of your own priorities — how you’re allocating your time, energy, and attention — and whether they align with the life you’re trying to build.
The Good
Longtime listeners know that 2023 and 2024 were extremely challenging for me personally and for Beardbrand. We lost a lot of money in 2023 and less, but still meaningful, in 2024. The good news is that in 2025, we became profitable again.
Looking back, our conservative financial strategy before things turned bad helped us survive. It allowed us to withstand rapid market changes and support our staff for as long as possible. That discipline helped us weather the storm.
From a growth standpoint, subscriptions have been a major win. At our lowest point, we had roughly 1,500 subscriptions. We made a focused effort to rebuild, and recently we surpassed 11,000 active subscriptions. Hitting 10,000-plus gives us predictable revenue and long-term stability. Churn has remained low, and we’re still adding members weekly, which is encouraging.
Another big win was finding the right fulfillment partner. After two moves — including one near our manufacturer that didn’t work out — we landed on a small Austin-based provider. The staff offers white-glove service, takes responsibility when issues arise, and aligns with the customer experience we want to deliver. Plus, being local helps. We can visit, meet the team, and fine-tune packaging and shipping costs.
Manufacturing has also improved. Finding the right manufacturing partner is a Goldilocks problem — not too big, not too small, just right. One of our supplier-partners discovered us through this podcast. They’ve allowed us to keep inventory lean, place smaller, more frequent orders, and maintain quality. That’s reduced customer complaints, lowered stress, and helped us avoid unsellable inventory — a major contributor to losses in prior years.
Engagement with customers has improved as we let them vote on which limited-edition fragrance would become permanent.
Another win — we subleased our oversized office, a costly remnant from when our team size was at its peak, easing a significant financial burden until the lease ends in 2026.
The Bad
The biggest hurdle is that the beard care industry has shifted from a blue to a red ocean. A blue ocean is wide open — lots of opportunity, little competition. Today, beard care feels saturated and stagnant.
I see this in search data. Terms like “how to grow a beard,” “beard oil,” and “beard balm” are flat or declining. Meanwhile, other personal care categories such as shampoo, bar soap, and cologne continue to grow. When I look at Beardbrand and our top competitors, we’re all flat or down.
One way to resume growth is with organic content. We’ve had content hits and misses, but we haven’t reliably delivered the quality and volume I want. If we fix it, we can deepen relationships with our audience and stand out again.
Paid media has also been frustrating. Like many brands, we haven’t cracked Meta at scale. We’ll find an ad that works, get excited, then watch it fall flat days later. We’ve hovered around $30,000 a month in spend without breaking through. We recently started integrating more data-driven decision-making.
I expected revenue to grow in 2025 after fixing problems from 2023 and 2024. That didn’t happen. We likely won’t beat last year’s numbers, which forced us to make painful staffing cuts — letting go of two long-tenured, incredible team members. That was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make.
Amazon sales have also regressed. We’ve worked with the same agency for three years, and while they’ve done good work, it feels like we’ve plateaued. We’re planning to switch partners.
The Ugly
Overall, 2025 was fairly stress-free, which I’ll gladly take. The biggest issue was that we got sued again. This one came from a patent troll.
Patent lawsuits are very different from the Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuit, which we chose to fight. We had invested heavily in making our site accessible for people with disabilities, including those with vision impairments, and ultimately, we were able to get that case dismissed.
Patent cases are another story. The financial risk of fighting is much higher. Defending the ADA lawsuit cost roughly the same as a settlement. Given where Beardbrand was after multiple years of losses, I swallowed my pride and settled.
What made the decision easier is that, once settled, a patent holder cannot sue again for the same alleged infringement. Another party would need to hold the same patent, which is unlikely. I feel at peace with the choice. The direct-to-consumer community on X was also incredibly helpful, connecting us with a great attorney, which made the process smoother.
Hopefully, that’s the last lawsuit for a while. We’re doing everything we can to protect ourselves — updated privacy policies, cookie consent for pixel tracking in applicable states, and ongoing ADA audits.
Personal Wins and Losses
One of my goals for 2026 is to return to a “profit first” mindset — building a business that’s profitable while also supporting my personal life. Over the past few years, I’ve pulled from savings to maintain our standard of living. I’m grateful I had that cushion, but I don’t want it to be the norm.
The highlight of 2025 was a trip to Japan with my 12-year-old daughter. Travel is something we both love, and it gave us a shared experience during a fleeting stage of life. This trip felt meaningful for her and me as she grows into her own independence. I’m incredibly pleased we did it.
Health-wise, it’s been a good year. I’m rowing again, lifting consistently, and I avoided major injuries. My wife and kids have been healthy, which I never take for granted.
I’m also profoundly grateful for my friends — in Austin, online, and the broader D2C community — who’ve helped me navigate challenging moments.
There was a personal loss, however. My wife and I transferred our final IVF embryo, and it wasn’t successful. That chapter is now closed after more than a decade of infertility and loss. I share this because many are going through similar struggles. You’re not alone.